EASTHAMPTON — The Easthampton Public Library, which opened its building in 1881, has had its fair share of small animals find their way inside. It’s what Library Director Katya Schapiro calls an “old building thing,” and isn’t typically cause for concern.

But following several discoveries of dead bats in the historic library, the building remains temporarily closed.

“We had a few instances with bats turning up dead in the building, which can be a sign that something is off with the local bat colony,” said Schapiro. “The Health Department is recommending that we get things checked out before we reopen the building to the public.”

The library announced last Thursday that the library would be closed for some time due to this “building issue.” While the library remains closed to the public, a limited number of staff members are still working inside to provide services, including curbside hours from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

According to Schapiro, the library is expecting a “bat remediation specialist” to arrive on Thursday, who will scope out the issue and give staff an idea of when they will be able to reopen.

“We’re being very careful,” said Schapiro, who emphasized that the library is working hard to maintain operations while also protecting the public and their staff.

Finding dead bats can indicate a number of causes, but because of the possibility of bat-borne illnesses, the Health Department and the library are working to find the root of the issue while keeping an eye out for any other potential concerns.

Schapiro said she encourages community members to reach out to the library if they are in need of any services, and stated that the best ways to keep up with goings-on at the library are through their social media accounts or by signing up for their newsletter on the library website.

The library is making progress on transitioning out of their current aging building — a possibility they have been examining for years. Last year, Easthampton Savings Bank donated its building on Main Street to the library, to serve as its new location. Schapiro said that planning stages are underway for a small renovation of part of the building, which will serve as an annex space, to be followed by larger renovations to the rest of the building prior to the library’s eventual move.

Schapiro expects the annex to be open by the fall. Around that time, the library will also find out whether it will receive a state building grant, which Schapiro said would pay for almost half of the building costs, “which could impact things significantly.”

Right now though, the focus remains finding out what’s ailing the library’s furry, flying cohabitants, and Schapiro said she and her fellow staff are continuing to upkeep and “get the most out of” their current space.

Alexa Lewis can be reached at alewis@gazettenet.com.