Moon Begins Search for New Library

Sometimes it takes five buckets to catch all the water seeping from the roof, according to library officials.

Library director Maria Joseph said ceiling tiles have fallen to the floor during business hours and water drips into the building's light fixtures during heavy rains.

"And those are the things going on that we can see," said Joseph.

Leaking water from the library's roof ruined a computer last year. "I worry about mold problems, and with our roof we really can't go another snow season."

Joseph and John Shaver, treasurer of the Library Board of Trustees, spoke before the last night about the deteriorating condition of the library at 1700 Beaver Grade Road.

Township Manager Jeanne Creese said the township has hired a real estate agent to help find commercial property in Moon that could potentially house the library and the other three township departments located in the building.

She said within the next six weeks, township administration will decide if any existing properties in the township are suitable to house the library. If not, Creese said the township will have to consider constructing a new building. She did not disclose a potential budget for the project.

"What we're looking at is real estate that can house the library but also that we're able to afford," Creese said. "And there is a good chance that we might not find that."

Creese said township officials will begin looking at properties next week. , the township real estate tax office and the Moon Township Municipal Authority all have offices in the current building. Creese told the board it was unclear if all of the departments will continue to be housed in the new location.

She said if an existing property is found, the soonest the library could move would be in the fall.

Township Engineer Malcolm Petroccia said while the building is structurally sound, any money used to repair the roof would be "money lost."

"I think we’ve run out of temporary fixes," Petroccia said.

Shaver, who has toured recently constructed libraries in the Pittsburgh area, said he worries that the worsening condition of Moon's library could turn into a future liability.

"When it rains, water will drip down the fireplace [in the library] and into light fixtures," he said. "No. 1: We don't want a fire, and we don't want to have the liability."