——It was our honor to deep clean the carpets and shine the VCT for a town in love with its library!
Haddon Heights, one of the charming little So Jersey towns tucked near the river, has something undeniably special at its core: a beloved public library. It sits on Station Avenue, right in the downtown ‘hub-bub’. The street itself has a quaint stretch of shops. There are a few restaurants, and the rumble of the train zips by, speeding from Philadelphia and Atlantic City. Generations of families adore this place—and it shows.
When the library director reached out for carpet cleaning and VCT stripping, we knew this wasn’t just another job.
This was a community hub that meant the world to its people. The layout alone tells the story of a place designed for gathering and growing. The main level and upper balcony are both carpeted. These levels are a cozy nest for book lovers. In the front window, you feel like you’re in your living room. All that’s missing is the fireplace. Head down to the basement, and a vibrant children’s library comes alive with books, a nook, and a busy table. Then there’s a cozy bunk for reading exploration, all soft and cuddly, like a book reading window. Or it’s perhaps a reminder of that parent’s ritual of book-reading at bedtime. Off to the side sits a large multipurpose room with VCT flooring and a projector setup—clearly used for community events. Beyond that: a storage area overflowing with children’s crafts and all the stuff for learning exploration. And finally, there is that special library archive with VCT, lined with cabinets, treasures newspapers from years gone by, too cherished to dispose of. , All of it VCT, in need of gentle handling to renew the floor’s shine, while protecting and preserving the treasures that pay homage to the town’s history.
A community that refuses to let go—while we were teeing up our work.
When we first arrived, a handful of residents were squeezing out every last minute in their favorite spot before closing time. To me—not a self-professed library book-hound—it’s about the last place I’d expect to be on a Saturday. But watching these patrons reluctantly gather their belongings, it was clear this building is more than bricks, books, and flooring. It’s a pillar of local life. (I even had to think about it, and check my usual vibratto as the door-lol!)
Just a few weeks ago, the director called to halt our first attempt. He thought we could slip the cleaning in between a book club meeting and a quiet day. But the staff, without telling him, had scheduled a two-day book sale. Why? Because this community loves its library, and they use it—constantly. A guy reading the paper in the window, a student packing up for the day, a dedicated reader dragging herself out the door, and the manager insisting the lights be turned off so no one else wanders in. Even he, living just two blocks away, has a soft spot for this town treasure.
Bringing the carpets and VCT back to life.
Once set up, we started with the VCT floors in the basement—a job that was no small feat. The carpets throughout the building bear the honest signs of almost a decade of foot traffic, spills, and well-loved spaces. Although it could use some updating ( like replacing the flooring), that would be a monumental disruption (and a strain on any library budget). So the goal is clear: make what’s here look and perform its very best. Between the decorated Christmas trees (in a contest) boxes, archived newspapers, children’s items, and storage overflow, parts of our work were challenging. But kicking into high gear (like he was 30), Chris got into the thick of it, tackling the VCT stripping first. And soon, the carpets got their turn—brightened, refreshed, and brought back to life.
While they worked, I was home working on my computer, and couldn’t help but hum the Jimmy Buffett song “Love in the Library.”
A poet, a songwriter, and a lover of reading, I could somehow see him there amongst the patrons. And yes, I could see him taking pen to paper writing that song nostalgia. With affection it could have been him—a nod to discovering love amongst the magic of books (however that plays out)…
Meanwhile, the plot thickened as Team Sparkle had to fend off book lovers at the door.
It might be true of most libraries, but the hours of operation were just that! “Light-on” doesn’t always mean open for business. But literary lovers with a “stubborn but gentile devotion” were determined not to be denied. (It was after hours and the library was closed! It’s hard not to smile.) In fact, Chris, the library director said not to keep the front door openend, because you will have people trying to enter (and he was right)!
Soon it became necessary to have a worker positioned at the door that had to be open, and apologized to a handful of folks like it was an “after—hours book brigade”!
Winding down, it was the last chapter— cleaning the carpets in the main part of the library.
With wax going on in the basement, our other staff danced and cleaned the carpets around their decorated Christmas Trees! (From what we were told there’s always something going on to spark interest making the library a fun place to come to!)
Chris, the director had said do what you can to work around the Christmas trees. Sso that’s what we did, and got all but a few moved.
As we finished the floors now looed clean and fresh. The vct was shiny and bright, light years better than when we had started! Come Monday the library would be ready to welcome the patrons once more!
And for us, despite a little ‘page turning showdown’ we everything done! The library carpets were again clean and sanitized. And the VCT, it was dramatically brought back to life!
The residents and patrons of this beloved library will now be able enjoy a little ‘booklust ‘ in a clean, fresh and welcoming environment once again.
The takeaway.
This project highlights a facility revival and how our strategic cleaning can bridge the gap between maintenance and modernization. For building owners, directors or managers, it’s a reminder that you don’t always need a major capital project to achieve visible, clean and healthy results. To see pictures of how it came out click here
Give your floors the attention they need to keep serving your community. We’re ready when you are—let’s talk care and maintenance.”
——It was our honor to deep clean the carpets and shine the VCT for a town in love with its library!
Haddon Heights, one of the charming little So Jersey towns tucked near the river, has something undeniably special at its core: a beloved public library. It sits on Station Avenue, right in the downtown ‘hub-bub’. The street itself has a quaint stretch of shops. There are a few restaurants, and the rumble of the train zips by, speeding from Philadelphia and Atlantic City. Generations of families adore this place—and it shows.
When the library director reached out for carpet cleaning and VCT stripping, we knew this wasn’t just another job.
This was a community hub that meant the world to its people. The layout alone tells the story of a place designed for gathering and growing. The main level and upper balcony are both carpeted. These levels are a cozy nest for book lovers. In the front window, you feel like you’re in your living room. All that’s missing is the fireplace. Head down to the basement, and a vibrant children’s library comes alive with books, a nook, and a busy table. Then there’s a cozy bunk for reading exploration, all soft and cuddly, like a book reading window. Or it’s perhaps a reminder of that parent’s ritual of book-reading at bedtime. Off to the side sits a large multipurpose room with VCT flooring and a projector setup—clearly used for community events. Beyond that: a storage area overflowing with children’s crafts and all the stuff for learning exploration. And finally, there is that special library archive with VCT, lined with cabinets, treasures newspapers from years gone by, too cherished to dispose of. , All of it VCT, in need of gentle handling to renew the floor’s shine, while protecting and preserving the treasures that pay homage to the town’s history.
A community that refuses to let go—while we were teeing up our work.
When we first arrived, a handful of residents were squeezing out every last minute in their favorite spot before closing time. To me—not a self-professed library book-hound—it’s about the last place I’d expect to be on a Saturday. But watching these patrons reluctantly gather their belongings, it was clear this building is more than bricks, books, and flooring. It’s a pillar of local life. (I even had to think about it, and check my usual vibratto as the door-lol!)
Just a few weeks ago, the director called to halt our first attempt. He thought we could slip the cleaning in between a book club meeting and a quiet day. But the staff, without telling him, had scheduled a two-day book sale. Why? Because this community loves its library, and they use it—constantly. A guy reading the paper in the window, a student packing up for the day, a dedicated reader dragging herself out the door, and the manager insisting the lights be turned off so no one else wanders in. Even he, living just two blocks away, has a soft spot for this town treasure.
Bringing the carpets and VCT back to life.
Once set up, we started with the VCT floors in the basement—a job that was no small feat. The carpets throughout the building bear the honest signs of almost a decade of foot traffic, spills, and well-loved spaces. Although it could use some updating ( like replacing the flooring), that would be a monumental disruption (and a strain on any library budget). So the goal is clear: make what’s here look and perform its very best. Between the decorated Christmas trees (in a contest) boxes, archived newspapers, children’s items, and storage overflow, parts of our work were challenging. But kicking into high gear (like he was 30), Chris got into the thick of it, tackling the VCT stripping first. And soon, the carpets got their turn—brightened, refreshed, and brought back to life.
While they worked, I was home working on my computer, and couldn’t help but hum the Jimmy Buffett song “Love in the Library.”
A poet, a songwriter, and a lover of reading, I could somehow see him there amongst the patrons. And yes, I could see him taking pen to paper writing that song nostalgia. With affection it could have been him—a nod to discovering love amongst the magic of books (however that plays out)…
Meanwhile, the plot thickened as Team Sparkle had to fend off book lovers at the door.
It might be true of most libraries, but the hours of operation were just that! “Light-on” doesn’t always mean open for business. But literary lovers with a “stubborn but gentile devotion” were determined not to be denied. (It was after hours and the library was closed! It’s hard not to smile.) In fact, Chris, the library director said not to keep the front door openend, because you will have people trying to enter (and he was right)!
Soon it became necessary to have a worker positioned at the door that had to be open, and apologized to a handful of folks like it was an “after—hours book brigade”!
Winding down, it was the last chapter— cleaning the carpets in the main part of the library.
With wax going on in the basement, our other staff danced and cleaned the carpets around their decorated Christmas Trees! (From what we were told there’s always something going on to spark interest making the library a fun place to come to!)
Chris, the director had said do what you can to work around the Christmas trees. Sso that’s what we did, and got all but a few moved.
As we finished the floors now looed clean and fresh. The vct was shiny and bright, light years better than when we had started! Come Monday the library would be ready to welcome the patrons once more!
And for us, despite a little ‘page turning showdown’ we everything done! The library carpets were again clean and sanitized. And the VCT, it was dramatically brought back to life!
The residents and patrons of this beloved library will now be able enjoy a little ‘booklust ‘ in a clean, fresh and welcoming environment once again.
The takeaway.
This project highlights a facility revival and how our strategic cleaning can bridge the gap between maintenance and modernization. For building owners, directors or managers, it’s a reminder that you don’t always need a major capital project to achieve visible, clean and healthy results. To see pictures of how it came out click here
Give your floors the attention they need to keep serving your community. We’re ready when you are—let’s talk care and maintenance.”