A pop-up library will serve the community when the Culmore Library closes
Fairfax County Public Library is in the process of nailing down a location in Culmore for a pop-up library during the time the Culmore Community Library will be closed for an entire year.
The Culmore Library will close on Jan. 17, 2026, for an HVAC replacement project and won’t reopen until January 2027.
A pop-up solution
Books are being sent out to other libraries, but there is still a small collection of books, said Culmore Branch Manager Heather Simpson.
The pop-up library, possibly co-located with a local nonprofit in Culmore, will have some after-school and community programming and a limited number of computers and books, said FCPL spokesperson Sara Prohaska.
The pop-up library will remain open until the Culmore Library reopens.
Related story: Culmore Library to close for a year for HVAC upgrade
It won’t be as extensive as an official “temporary library,” like the one in an office building on Leesburg Pike 10 years ago, when the Culmore Library underwent a full-scale renovation.
FCPL wasn’t able to find a location for a temporary library this year. Simpson said FCPL looked everywhere along Route 7 for vacant office space but was unable to find an appropriate location. Commercial space is more expensive now, FCPL has limited funds, and any property used for a temporary library must be ADA-compliant and able to accept deliveries.
HVAC failure
A new HVAC system will be installed because the library closed 20 times last year due to extreme heat or extreme cold, Simpson said.
The current HVAC variable refrigerant system was installed as part of the building’s renovation in 2013-15, when it was known as the Woodrow Wilson Library. The system is not working correctly and can’t keep up with extreme temperatures, said Laura Seidler, deputy director of Fairfax County’s Facilities Management Department.
“We engaged with third-party engineers, and they recommended that the HVAC system needs to be replaced,” Seidler said.
The project is going to take a full year because the ductwork needs to be replaced and redesigned, and there will be cranes on site to remove items from the roof, Prohaska said. “It’s unfortunate that the building has to be closed for such a long time.”
The parking lot and grounds will also be closed.
Two libraries closing
After the Culmore Library closes, FCPL will refer customers to the Thomas Jefferson and George Mason libraries.
The George Mason Regional Library is expected to close for two years, starting next summer, for a complete renovation and reconfiguration of the space. “We’re very aware of having two libraries closed in one year,” Simpson said.
During that time, FCPL plans to open a temporary library in Annandale, but isn’t ready to announce the location, Prohaska said. “We’re ironing out the details.”
Related story: Library renovation to start next summer
During the library closures they could add an online reservationist to schedule books for pick up or delivery, and hire a few runners or drivers.
Two statements in this article should give readers pause.
First, the current HVAC variable refrigerant system was installed as part of the 2013–15 full building renovation, yet it is now described as fundamentally unable to handle extreme temperatures. That raises an unavoidable question. Why is a system barely a decade old already considered unfit for purpose, and what failed? Was it the engineering, specification, installation, maintenance, or oversight?
Second, despite a full year-long closure, the county says the replacement service will not rise to the level of a true temporary library, as was provided during the last major renovation. That means less access, fewer services, and a longer disruption, even as the building remains closed for an extended period.
A full year to replace HVAC in a 14,420 square foot building strains credibility, particularly when the facility was comprehensively renovated in 2015 and already received a new HVAC system at that time. Projects of this scale are routinely completed in a fraction of that timeframe. In practical terms, a structure this size could be demolished and rebuilt in roughly the same window.
What is being minimized in this discussion is who bears the burden of a year-long closure. A neighborhood library is not a luxury amenity. It disproportionately serves lower-income residents who rely on it for internet access, job searches, schoolwork, and a safe, quiet place to spend time. A pop-up library is a partial substitute at best, and an implicit acceptance of reduced service for those with the fewest alternatives.
At minimum, this demands accountability. The HVAC system was part of a total renovation, not a piecemeal upgrade. When a comprehensive renovation produces a system that is functionally inadequate in less than a decade, that is not routine wear. It is a serious engineering failure. Taxpayers deserve a clear explanation of what went wrong, who approved it, and how the county intends to ensure this does not happen again.
Excellent observations. You should pass them along to your supervisor. Like the unneeded Justice Park sidewalk, you have to wonder who’s making money on these projects.
I have submitted a FOIA request for documentation regarding the Culmore Library upgrade.
Yes , I fully don’t understand the length of this project either .So many people rely on this . It’s a source of education, community , and help for those in need and trying to hard to find resources to better their situation. I wonder if it’s not partially a project to see how many fewer libraries they can do without. This is not one of them .Culmore Community Library is a busy place , a place where people come to learn , take part in useful events, a place out of the cold for a few hours those with no place to go . A temporary place for a “year” Will not meet the needs of so many people . Yes the time line on this project just does not make sense , unless they planned on tearing down and rebuilding again , which doesn’t appear to be the plan .