The temporary La Pine Library, located in the John C. Johnson building at 16405-B 1st Street in La Pine, closed indefinitely Wednesday after a sedan crashed into the north side of the building. No serious physical injuries were reported by the driver or library staff working in the building at the time. The building sustained extensive damage. The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Department and fire personnel responded to the scene.
“We are thankful that no one was injured,” said library C0mmunications and Development Manager Chantal Strobel. “The building housed our temporary library space while the existing La Pine Library undergoes an extensive remodel. This means we are without a temporary location in La Pine for the foreseeable future, though the newly remodeled library is on track to re-open in October.”
The building in which the temporary library is housed is owned by the La Pine Park and Recreation District, and a portion of it is leased by Deschutes Public Library.
A structural assessment of the building needs to happen before library staff can enter it again. Once staff can access the building, existing holds that were on the shelves will be transferred to the Sunriver Library for pick up. Strobel says library staff are working to contact customers by phone if they have a hold waiting at the temporary La Pine Library. As other holds become available for pick up, they too will be transferred to the Sunriver Library, which is 14 miles to the north.
The Library asks that La Pine customers either keep their checked-out library items or return them to another library location when it is convenient for them to do so. La Pine customers who have items checked out will not incur late fees during this time.
