The pump on the broken HVAC unit at the Covington branch of the Newton County Library System has been replaced; however the project is still not near completion.

The pump now has to be aligned and the air handlers have to be fixed of a screeching issue, according to Newton County Library Board of Directors Chairman Dr. Steve Whatley.

Once those repairs are made, which won’t be until Tuesday at the earliest, the air conditioner will still need to run for a few days. This is for two reasons. One is to make sure everything is working properly. The other is to lower the temperature in the building before the constant opening of doors brings in moist air.

Older books have remained on the shelves despite the temperature inside the library rising. However with the doors and windows closed, humidity was not allowed to increase.

The library will remain closed through Saturday, and into next week; however it is still unknown if the library will be able to open by Sept. 1.

“We need to have had time to make sure everything works given these band aid fixes,” Whatley said.