A grant from the BV Foundation is helping the Hazelton Library become more handy for everyone to use the facility.
The group gave the library $3,000 to replace their front doors with handicap accessible ones.
Head librarian Tara Williston said this will bring the library one step closer to being fully accessible but there is still more to do.
“It would be a lovely dream to have an elevator to the second floor but the cost of that is very high so that isn’t in the plans in the near future. We have one computer workstation that has some software that helps people with visual disabilities, makes it a little bit easier for them to use the computer but that could be updated. There are lots of things, we don’t have a large big print collection or a ton of audio books. There are lots of things that could be done but its just a matter of funding.”
New Hazelton councillor Braunwyn Henwood, who also sits on the library board, said the new doors will be a welcome change.
“We’ve been wanting to change out the doors for a long time. It’s awkward and the doors are heavy. Plus there are two sets of those doors to get through. They will have automatic door openers, so that people that have strollers or wheelchairs or people that can’t handle the heavy doors can just push the button. It can be a lot of work for someone to access the library.”
There isn’t a date set yet for the installation of the automatic doors but Henwood said it will be done before the end of the year. The total cost to switch out the doors is about $13,000.
The Royal Bank has also donated some money but the library is looking for a few more donations.