FARMINGTON — The Farmington Public Library is renovating the children’s room to fix a water problem and plans to reopen in mid-to-late May.

“The first part of the renovation is addressing the water issue of course,” library Director Jessica Casey said, noting that water seeps through the foundation during spring snowmelt and heavy rain.

To resolve the problem, contractors will install a drainage channel and waterproof membrane along the exterior wall, directing water to a sump pump before it can reach finished areas.

“This should be a very long-term solution and can be expanded around to other sides of the building if needed in the future,” Casey said.

The project also includes new carpet tiles, vinyl flooring in the craft area and new shelving in the children’s room.

To accommodate the work, most of the children’s collection — more than 11,000 books — will be stored at the University of Maine at Farmington’s Roberts Learning Center.

“We will be very carefully labeling the boxes of books and packing them in order to preserve their organization and make unpacking them easier,” Casey said, adding that staff and experienced volunteers will handle the process.

The storage space is climate controlled, which Casey said makes it “a much safer place for the books to be stored than in a typical storage unit.”

During the closure, limited children’s services will be available upstairs in the library rotunda, where a small selection of books and simple activities will be offered.

“It obviously won’t be to the same level as what folks are used to but we are glad we are able to continue to provide a space for kids and families to enjoy in the library,” Casey said.

Because most of the collection will be in storage, reservations for children’s books will be suspended, though due dates will be extended until the room reopens.