Q. What are the Library Trustees asking for today?
Q. Why do we need a new library facility?
Q. How was the current building site selected?
Q. Why not renovate a town-owned or low-cost building instead of new construction?
Q. What new services would an adequate facility allow?
Q. Why move forward with this proposal in the current turbulent economic climate?
Q. What might the library of 5 or 10 years in the future look like?
Q. What are the Library Trustees asking for today?
ReplyDeleteA. The Trustees are asking that the town appropriate ten thousand dollars to partially fund a site planning and building design study. The remainder of the funding will be supplied by the Friends of the Upton Town Library, and some funds previously appropriated for Library design services.
This study will produce the cost estimates and schematic documents sufficient to bring a proposal for actual construction costs before the town sometime in the future.
A positive vote on Article 11 will also be an indication that the Town recognizes the need for an adequate library facility, and encouragement for the Library Trustees to continue pursuing this project.
Q. Why do we need a new library facility?
ReplyDeleteA. The library has been in its current location since 1972. The facility is inadequate to house the physical collection, cannot accommodate the variety of services requested by the community, is not ADA compliant, and does not have the infrastructure to support future technologies.
Q. How was the current building site selected?
ReplyDeleteA. A library feasibility committee has been actively investigating potential options for a new library facility for the last ten years. In that time, the committee has considered numerous town-owned sites, options for purchase and renovation of privately owned buildings, and renovation of current town facilities. The best option for a cost-effective, adequate library facility is to construct a new building dedicated to library services. The current proposal is the result of negotiations with Maplewood Cemetery to lease a centrally located plot of land with access to town water and sewer, and construct a 10,000 square foot library building with possible room for future expansion.
Q. Why not renovate a town-owned or low-cost building instead of new construction?
ReplyDeleteA. The library feasibility has investigated the possibility of renovating the Knowlton-Risteen building, the Town Hall building, and the purchase of other privately owned buildings currently for sale. Their conclusion, supported by the reports of architects that have examined the buildings, is that renovation costs are just as expensive as new construction, and result in an inferior library facility.
New construction designed specifically for library services provides lower operating costs by minimizing staffing requirements and utilizing modern heating and plumbing options.
All the renovation possibilities the committee has investigated would require significant and costly structural improvements to the building, as well as spreading the library space over two or more floors requiring all floors be staffed, and an elevator installed for ADA compliance. New construction also includes the wiring and infrastructure required for the future computer and internet technologies that will be essential to library service over the next several decades.
Q. What new services would an adequate facility allow?
ReplyDeleteA. Space for informal social gatherings, such as book groups or study groups. A dedicated teen room to provide educational and recreational services. Expanded public computer services. Space to add new formats such as blu-ray DVDs to the collection. Sufficient archival space to preserve historical documents. Quiet study rooms. Display space for local artists and community information.
Q. Why move forward with this proposal in the current turbulent economic climate?
ReplyDeleteA. The Library Trustees know that now is not a good time to build a new library facility. However, now is the perfect time to plan and design a new library facility. The investigation and design process will take an estimated six months to complete. Once the design is complete, the Library Trustees will then be prepared to take advantage of the anticipated economic recovery to start construction at the best time for both the Town’s financial situation and the state of the construction industry, whether that time arrives one year from now or several years from now.
Q. The School budget is very tight. Why should town resources go towards the public library instead of to educational resources?
ReplyDeleteA. The public library is an educational resource! Especially when funding for school libraries is limited, students and teachers place increasing demands on the public library. The public library directly provides books, services, and internet resources to students and teachers. The public library is open evenings and weekends for students to work on projects and access resources when the school library is closed. The public library can draw on the resources of libraries across the state, giving students access to a collection much greater than the school alone can provide. Teachers and school librarians work directly with the public library to prepare for research assignments and support the curriculum.
Money spent to improve the public library provides a direct benefit to the school system and the education of your children.
Q. What might the library of 5 or 10 years in the future look like?
ReplyDeleteA. The library will still be serving the educational, recreational and cultural needs of the community. It will still have a collection of physical items such as books and DVDs, but that collection will be increasingly supplemented by an array of online and digital resources, websites, online news sources, streaming video and audio products.
If the town improves our library facility, the library can also become an informal gathering place for friends, community groups, neighbors, a place to share interests and meet new people. A safe, comfortable teen room would allow socialization and cooperation on school projects. An inviting reading area would encourage visitors to relax and chat with neighbors about news, town events and magazine articles, and network with the community. The children’s section would be a place to meet for playdates and support each other through the parenting process, instead of just a narrow shelf of picture books.
All of these improvements will only be possible if the town invests in improving the physical infrastructure of the library facility.