Concerns over safety, access and design remain as officials consider moving forward with the proposed library partition.
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The chair of the Corpus Christi Public Library Advisory Board says unanswered questions about safety and design remain regarding a proposed partition at the Janet F. Harte Public Library.
Marilena Garza said the board still does not have a clear path toward getting a legal opinion from the Texas Attorney General’s Office on the proposed changes.
“There’s still a lot of obstacles and hurdles, and a lot of unanswered questions,” Garza said.
Garza said she wants to make sure the city has reviewed the proposal thoroughly and that taxpayers, library staff, students and other visitors are protected. The proposed partition is tied to safety concerns regarding the library’s shared use by Flour Bluff ISD. Garza stressed that the facility is a city public library and said residents should continue to have uninterrupted access.
“This is a city library, not a school library,” Garza said. Garza said she plans to seek support from the full advisory board and could eventually bring the issue directly to the City Council.
She said she does not want the project to stall due to a lengthy government process while questions about safety remain.
Garza also raised concerns about the design itself, including how a partition could affect air conditioning and airflow. She said she wants engineers to address those questions directly. She also questioned how the proposed layout would work during an emergency, including whether the partition could make it harder for people to leave part of the building.
Garza said she wants those concerns answered before the project moves forward.
The Janet F. Harte Public Library also serves residents from North Padre Island and other parts of the city’s south side. Garza said residents who pay for the public library system should not have to wonder whether they can access the building.
“We want our libraries,” Garza said. “Give us our libraries back.”