Santa Clarita / Antelope Valley : Work Begins on Quake-Damaged Valencia Library : Recovery: Officials say the building could be closed for up to eight months to remove asbestos and restore the interior. Bracing will be added.

SANTA CLARITA —  Repairs began Thursday on the earthquake-damaged Valencia Library, which will be closed for up to eight months as workers tear out much of the building’s interior to remove asbestos.

Officials had hoped to reopen the 24,000-square-foot library, the busiest of the county’s 87 facilities, within three months after the earthquake ruptured a water pipe in the building and damaged one-fourth of the library’s 155,000 publications. But Alan Harsen, head of facilities services for the county’s libraries, said the asbestos must be removed to meet building codes.

The interior of the building, at 23743 Valencia Blvd., has been stripped nearly bare, except for empty metal bookshelves covered with plastic. The carpet and furniture have been removed because of asbestos contamination.

About 40 volunteers and library staff members worked three days after the earthquake to remove 80% of the library’s books, periodicals and other materials, but flooding caused about $750,000 in damage to those items.

“We’ve lost quite a few titles simply because they’re not in print anymore,” said Josefina Reyes, community library manager for the branch. Back files of magazines and government documents were also destroyed.

The asbestos removal is expected to be completed in the next 30 days, after which the long process of replacing everything from the carpet to the ceiling tiles will begin.

Harsen said additional bracing and other earthquake safety equipment will be installed during the rebuilding. He said bracing installed across the top of the bookshelves before the earthquake kept all of the shelves upright and prevented more serious damage.

Local library employees will work in a trailer next to the building, sorting through cartons containing more than 100,000 books to be placed on the shelves. But Harsen said reshelving may not start until December and the library probably won’t be open for six to eight months.

The Valencia branch is the only one of the 38 affected by the earthquake that remains closed, Harsen said. Santa Clarita residents are left with two much smaller branches in Newhall and Canyon Country, each open three days a week.

A bookmobile and children’s story program may be established at a temporary site near the Valencia Library, said Evelyn MacMorres, regional administrator for the north county libraries.

The Newhall Library, at 22704 9th St., is open from 1 to 8 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays. The Canyon Country branch, 18536 Soledad Canyon Road, is open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays, 1 to 8 p.m. on Wednesdays and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays.