Ivan Noskov inspects renovation of two Samara libraries

Samara Regional Culture Minister Irina Kalyagina and Mayor Ivan Noskov inspected the progress of capital repairs. The focus was on two city libraries. This year marks the completion of a two-year renovation cycle at Children«s Library No. 3 (Promyshlenny District) and Adult Library No. 13 (Sovetsky District).

Library No. 13 has undergone extensive changes. The roof was completely replaced, all internal systems—sewage, heating, and electrical—were upgraded, and the facade and entrance groups were repaired. Finishing work is in its final stages. Soon, the library«s collection will be expanded by over 10,000 new books, and the halls will be equipped with modern furnishings for comfortable reading and work.

An important part of the inspection was a discussion with regular visitors about future improvements to the surrounding area. At the initiative of residents, a “Readers’ Square” is planned here. The idea appealed to locals: the project involves an abundance of lighting design solutions. Minister Irina Kalyagina stressed that the square’s concept will be coordinated with residents of the adjacent building.

The situation is more complicated at Children«s Library No. 3, which had been closed for several years due to a leaking roof. Thanks to the national project “Family” last year a contractor began capital repairs on nearly 700 square meters across two floors. The project is notable for its complexity and multi-level architecture, characteristic of Samara’s modern model libraries. The building is located in a residential building without a basement, so replacing engineering systems required meticulous coordination among builders, resource-supplying organizations, and the management company. At the start, walls were stripped to brick, and all old utilities were dismantled. Currently, the contractor is finishing finishing work and installing ventilation with split systems. A slight delay was noted, which the construction company promised to eliminate; the minister and project curators assured that the quality would not suffer.

An important decision was made following the inspection. When planning future capital repairs of social institutions, heads of organizations will be given the opportunity to conduct a preliminary inspection of the actual condition of walls, floors, ceilings, and utilities, with partial opening of structures. This will increase the time needed for preparing project documentation, but will allow a realistic assessment of the buildings’ condition, accurate cost estimates, clear scheduling, and ultimately more reliable repairs.