We are moving forward in good faith, excited for the next steps, thankful for the work that the donors and the Foundation have done to support and build our community’s library. All decisions regarding the new building have been made by the District with considerable thought and research, with the safety and security of our patrons forefront, all while striving to be the best stewards of our public resources.
In our Building Program, effective lighting and natural lighting are mentioned on nearly every page. With the desire to create different experiences in the library for our patrons, lighting plays an essential role. Efficient LED lights are expensive, but will pay off for the library in the long run. The lighting and data paths that were installed during the renovation have no relation to our proposed layout or desired use of spaces. An excellent lighting and data plan for our library is essential for patron and staff productivity, comfort, and overall efficiency as a public library.
Also, making sure that the building is safe and sound and climate controlled (installing sealed front doors, yet to install air conditioning) is fiscally responsible for taking care of physical library resources. Being a resiliency center for extreme temperatures all year round is a vital service that the library can provide with comfort and space for community members: a cooling center in the summer, a warming center in the winter. Updating the backyard of the new building with ADA accessible entrances for the library will be important for afterhours use of the meeting room (see picture). Other expenses on the high priority list are specific to running an efficient and welcoming library from the moment we’re able to open the doors.
Moving in to the new space is indeed the prize before our eyes! We’d ALL like to move in as soon as possible! However, moving in to a structurally safe, public-use building has been of ultimate concern to the Library’s Board of Trustees. Following all public bidding laws and procedures, waiting on contractors’ schedules, and running into other various hiccups along the way explains why the Library District has not yet moved in to their new, amazing space. We don’t want to move in and then need to close a week or two here or there to complete these projects. The Library Board of Trustees has made the fiscally responsible decisions to get our high priority items, such as repairing structural rot, installing air conditioning, effective lighting, and carpeting, done now before we move in and open.
