Viking Library System

Much progress has been made on the building since the last post….the metal siding is complete, the first layer of the parking lot is in, the overhead doors have been installed and the landscape is being completed.  On the inside of the building, the drywall has been hung, the taping and texturing have been completed and the painting has begun.

In the next few weeks the carpentry, mechanical and electrical work will be completed and the flooring will be installed.  The Viking Library staff plans to move to the new headquarters building sometime in January.

Check back for more pictures of the progression of the building project.

Welcome to the Viking Library System Building Project Update Page! We’ve had so many inquires concerning the construction of the new building that we decided to add a page and pictures to explain the project and update everyone on the progress. Right now, the roof is on and we are waiting for the exterior metal siding, while the interior carpentry is being completed.

Background

The Viking Library System Governing Board has been working on constructing a new building since 2007. Public buildings take a great deal of time to plan, design and fund. Much deliberation was spent  looking at existing structures to remodel or finding a suitable location. The Board also spent much time in discussion concerning how to fund the building.

Eventually they decided to purchase land just to the south of the Humane Society on County 88 in northwest Fergus Falls. The location offers easy access to Interstate 94 for the bookmobile and delivery vehicles. The Otter Tail County Commissioners agreed to enter into a lease purchase agreement through the HRA to sell bonds to fund the building. Viking Library System will repay the bonds over a twenty year time period.

The groundbreaking was held in April and construction of the building started shortly thereafter. The design of the building is modeled on a grain elevator motif with garages and lean-tos completing the effect. The main shaft of the grain elevator is the lobby of the office building with five garages on either side and one garage as a separate building in the back. The front door and the entire office wing are lean-tos to the main building.

The “gains” brought by this new building to the system are room for the bookmobiles and delivery van to drive in and out of the drive-through garages, the size of the workroom and the proximity to the garages and a gravity roller system to allow the bins and bags of books to be moved easily to the vehicles instead of carrying them all as is now the case.

There is also inside storage for all of the administrative files and a board/training room in the main portion of the building. Total square footage is 8,156; 5,144 square feet of office space and 3,012 square feet for garages. Currently it appears that the building will be completed in early December.