Penrose Library closed after meth contamination found in restrooms

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO)-- Across the state, libraries have shut down because of meth contamination in recent months.

Now, the Pikes Peak Library District (PPLD) confirms they have tested for meth contamination in three of its libraries. 

PPLD says it started testing for meth earlier this month because other libraries across the state were seeing unhealthy levels of contamination.

"Since we're the second largest library district in the state, we felt that we should be proactive and actually try to make sure that our patrons and our staff are safe," Denise Abbott with the library district said.

"We decided to test the most highly-trafficked libraries, and that is the Penrose Library, Library 21c, and the East Library."

PPLD found levels of meth contamination in the bathrooms of some of their libraries.

"We've closed those restrooms, and so we are going to be doing other tests," Abbott said.

Penrose is the only library that is fully closed. The other one just closed the bathroom area.

"It doesn't affect the entire library, because that particular restroom exists in another area where there are many other restrooms that the patrons can use," Abbott said. "Whereas in the Penrose Library, we had several restrooms that tested at levels that we needed to do more extensive testing for."

Library officials don't know know how the meth got in those bathrooms, or when.

"It could have been there for years, we're not sure. But because it exists, we felt that we needed to then take the next step to determine exactly where it exists, so that we can then figure out what we need to do to make sure that it's ready for people to come into the library again."

Penrose Library will be closed until further examination of the specific restrooms is done. 

PPLD says once they have those results, they will make them available to the public.