GLENDALE, AZ — The Velma Teague Library in downtown Glendale has been temporarily closed, and the community is now watching closely to see what comes next for a library that has served Murphy Park for over 50 years.
The fire damaged the building's electrical system, and known asbestos inside has limited access for investigators and crews. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
At an August city council meeting, city staff estimated electrical repairs alone could cost around $2 million, with additional costs for HVAC, plumbing, and roofing repairs potentially pushing the total significantly higher. The timeline for repairs could stretch up to a year.
In the meantime, the city plans to temporarily relocate library services to the Civic Center Annex, a recently remodeled, approximately 10,000-square-foot space just around the corner from the current library location.
City staff say the temporary location should be open within 90 days. Gus Bus service is available daily for patrons who need a ride in the meantime.
The temporary location will have a smaller book collection, but patrons can request items from other city libraries, with delivery available in most cases within 48 hours.
The fire also reignited a debate that began more than two years ago, when the city proposed tearing the library down.
Community members launched a petition that drew thousands of signatures, and the effort kept the library open at least temporarily.
Community member Rory Goree, who helped lead that petition effort and is set to join the city council in December, said the community deserves a seat at the table as decisions are made about the library's future.
"Whatever we do, it's got to be from the people," Goree said. "It's got to be their voice telling us what to do, guiding us in what they need and they want."
Community member Julia Taggart pointed to a similar situation at the Acacia Library in Phoenix's Sunnyslope neighborhood as reason for hope.
"Here in Sunnyslope/Phoenix, Acacia Library, when it opened up in January 1969, a couple of months later there was an arson, and there was a fire inside that library, and we were able to repair and open up that library, and that library has been there for over 50 years," Taggart said. "If it can happen with our library, it can happen with Velma Teague."
The library's history runs deep in Glendale. Velma Teague was a longtime Glendale librarian who fought to preserve Murphy Park, the grassy, tree-lined space surrounding the library from being paved over for parking. She did not want the building named after her, but eventually agreed. Her family has remained active in the community, including in the recent effort to save the library.
Taggart said the library is more than just a building.
"The memories and the stories in that building matter, and you can't replace that," she said. "Every library should have a park."
The city says it is working to make the Civic Center Annex a full-service temporary library by the end of the year.
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