OXFORD – The Oxford Memorial Library closed Monday for renovations and will remain closed until Tuesday, Jan. 22 as contractors begin ripping up rugs in order to sand and finish the wood floors underneath.

The renovations are part of a long string of modifications to the 200-year-old building, which ensued in 2005 shortly after fundraising for the project began. “We are calling it ‘Phase Four B’,” said Library Director Nancy Wilcox. “The biggest reason for closing the library this week is so we can redo the original flooring, but a lot of other stuff has been done recently.” Most notably the ceiling lights are in the process of being replaced with ones more aesthetically in tune with the look of the old building. Paint has also been aptly applied to the ceiling.

“We are hoping this will wrap up the renovations,” said Wilcox. Many of the phases of the renovation, which has spanned for approximately eight years, drastically altered segments of the ancient building. During phase one, the young adult section was gutted and a window and window seat restored.

The building received two entirely new additions. Construction on the first addition, dubbed phase two, took place in 2007 and resulted in a spacious office at the back of the building for the head librarian. “When books would come in, I used to have to run back and forth to sort them. Now, I have the room to do it in my office,” Wilcox said.