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The Central Library in Syracuse has reopened after a nearly three-week closure due to an air conditioning outage. The library, located in the Galleries of Syracuse building, shut down on July 23 when its AC unit broke down. A temporary chiller from New Jersey has been installed to restore cooling until a replacement part for the original system arrives.
Flaum Management, the building's owner, is responsible for the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems, so the library will not bear the repair costs. Michael Palumbo, the chief operating officer of Flaum Management, stated that the part needed for the repair experienced a "catastrophic failure" and is expected to take about six weeks to arrive, according to syracuse.com.
During the closure, library patrons were encouraged to visit other branches in the city. The library's reopening is timely, as it now serves as a cooling center amid ongoing heat advisories in southern New York. Amanda Perrine, executive director of the Onondaga County Public Library, confirmed the reopening after the installation of the temporary chiller, as reported by syracuse.com.
The library's return to operation provides essential resources, including internet access and special technologies for people with disabilities, to the community. Updates about the library's status and services are available on its website and official Facebook page.