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Your Lewisboro Library: Building Update June 2010 Update -As many people are aware, the Library Trustees agreed to sell the present library building and move the library to a new larger facility to be built in the Town Park, provided several conditions were met. The Town Board has recently stated that it is not in a position currently to fund the commitments previously made. The Library Trustees believe the prudent and appropriate thing to do is put any expansion plans on hold until there is better visibility concerning Town finances and general economic conditions improve. At such time the Trustees will review all available options for expansion. Why the Library needs a larger home - Read about the history of the building project and responses to concerns about moving.
Francis Loewald's Letter to Residents, March 2009 Francis Loewald's Presentation to the Annual Meeting January 2009 Pictures of Overcrowding in Library Answers to Frequently Asked Questions Q. Why does the Library need to be expanded? Q. How much space is necessary to accommodate the needed expansion? Q. Why can’t the Library expand at the current location? Q. Why was the Town Park location chosen? Q. How green will the planned Library be? Q. Why libraries are even more essential today despite the internet? Q. In the current economic climate, why spend on the Library just now? Q. How do I learn more about the Library and its offerings?
Q. Why does the Library need to be expanded? A. In 1997, the Library Director and Trustees recognized that the library needed additional space to house not only the growing collection but to address the needs of the community (see graph). A lack of space was curtailing children’s programs as well as causing noticeable inconvenience to other library patrons. During 1998, the Trustees analyzed the Library and community’s needs and developed a proposed solution. A 1999 survey of Town residents confirmed the identified needs and also added an additional one, a small conference room. The situation is even more pressing today. In a town with no community center and no senior or youth centers, our library is a vital local center of culture, community and learning but is severely constrained in providing services in its current building.
Q. How much space is necessary to accommodate the needed expansion? A. To accommodate the desired expansion, the plan calls for approximately 14,000 square feet. This includes: · an enclosed Children’s Library that does not restrict the offerings which currently disturb other patrons and prevent access to the Magazine room, · a Program & Events Room which allows concerts, films and lectures to occur during normal hours without disrupting the rest of the Library and without extensive set-up, available to other community groups when not in use by the Library. Such a public space has become essential in the modern library, · separate space for young adults with sitting and study space and shelving for books or magazines of their interest plus computers for their use, · additional computing, tutoring and reading space with more outlets for laptop computers and separate study desks, · additional shelf space for books and the large and varied multimedia collection (i.e. videos, DVDs, e-books, CDs, etc.), · a small meeting room available to community groups and small local businesses, · and a larger, more suitable staff area and needed additional storage space.
Q. Why can’t the Library expand at the current location? A. The Library’s initial plan was to expand at the existing site from 5,600 to over 14,000 square feet. This plan was denied by various Town agencies. The Library then proposed other sizes and designs to respond to objections from such groups as the Zoning Board of Appeals, the Architectural and Community Review Council (ACARC) and neighbors, concerning building height (soil tests indicate that rocky terrain might well prohibit adding a basement), building mass, the “look” and “fit” within the town campus, septic issues, traffic routing, safety and so on. Eventually, in 2006, ACARC approved an expansion to less than 10,000 square feet. This smaller size meant the omission of a Program & Events room, the small conference room, study rooms and additional space for staff and storage. It has been suggested that other designs might provide the needed additional 4,000 to 5,000 square feet - however given past objections and experiences it became clear that the desired and needed expansion at the current site would be unattainable.
Q. Why was the Town Park location chosen? A. In 2006, the Town Board proposed the idea of purchasing the Library building and moving the Library to the Town Park. Such a move would allow the Town to take over an existing, handicapped-accessible building (helping address ADA compliance challenges at Town sites) and possibly consolidate various services on a Town campus. In addition, at that time Senator Vincent Leibell and Assemblyman Adam Bradley promised to support the Library’s move and to help us raise money from the state. The Trustees analyzed the potential benefits – enough space to meet community-defined needs including the return of functions omitted from scaled-down designs, a significant addition to the capital fund from the sale of the present building and avoidance of costs associated with a temporary service site during construction, the lack of disruption of Library services to the community – against remaining in the current location with a limited expansion. The Town Park also offered a more central location (easily accessible from all parts of town and, although some South Salem residents would no longer be able to walk to the Library, other people would be able to combine a trip to the Park with a trip to the Library). The Town Park would benefit by the Library’s presence since bathrooms with an exterior access would be available and the Programs Room could be available to the Town Camp when not in use for Library programs. On balance, the Trustees believed that accepting the Town’s offer provided a greater overall benefit to the Town as a whole than limited expansion of the existing site.
Q. How green will the planned Library be? A. Thanks to Ed Brancati, Town Supervisor, and Congressman John Hall we have secured a federal grant of almost $200,000 to be used for green technology and we plan to do all that we can. The renovation of the parking lot provides the opportunity to easily install a geothermal system for heating and cooling as well as improve the drainage from the parking lot. By locating the Library on the south side of the parking lot, we can install solar panels on the roof which will not be visible from the street or as one enters. The planned location also takes advantage of passive solar energy by opening up the south side of the building with windows overlooking the woods and stream. The trees will provide shade in summer but allow the sun to warm the building during the winter. The north side of the building, overlooking the parking lot, would have fewer windows. Although we have identified areas where trees may be cut down, the plan leaves a buffer of trees along Route 35 and we plan to use the lumber from the cut trees in various aspects of the Library. In addition to the basic reasons for the Library’s move we would like the site to offer a place to learn about green building methods and alternatives by showing them “in action.” Also, the possibility of “cross-over” usage is another green feature: people using the Park’s many recreational features will be able to visit the Library and use its multiple resources without making an extra trip.
Q. Why libraries are even more essential today despite the internet? A. According to a 2007 NY Times article, in the last decade, library circulation has risen 28% and visits increased 61% from 1994 to 2004. In 2008, the Lewisboro Library loaned 128,000 items – a 50% rise since 1998 - and had at least 63,000 in-person visits. In these challenging economic times, more people are turning to the Library as an essential resource. The Library provides free programs and tools to help all with such things as resume writing, job searches, identifying career training resources, access to the latest computer programs, etc. And the internet cannot replace the trained Librarian who can guide people to accurate, up-to-the-minute information sources as well as aid with personal information searches on such topics as health issues, genealogy, specialized research, etc. Cash-strapped families are finding our Library a boon as they take out videos and tapes or use our up-to-date computers and special subscription services instead of paying for their own.
Q. In the current economic climate, why spend on the Library just now? A. The need identified over ten years ago is even greater today. Demands on the Library’s resources continue to grow and the staff struggles to provide the needed service. Investment in the Library is part of the solution to problems many in the community face. Tutors use the Library regularly to help students of all ages and lack needed privacy. The Library provides after school programs for children, adults and families and free access to incalculable resources including computers, high speed access to the internet and such things as fishing equipment and free museum passes to major local and New York City museums. Varied and creative programs on current topics are offered for all ages and well attended but today are limited because of space constraints: programs must be offered “after hours” due to the disruption to other patrons. Programs also typically involve extensive arrangement and rearrangement of furniture (and need volunteers to do this). With no community center in town, our library serves as the only local resource for programs for children, youth and seniors; but due to lack of space, it is severely limited in providing all it could to help those throughout Lewisboro meet their own challenges.
A. The Library and Town Board have narrowed down the possible sites within the Park, focusing now on the south side of the main parking lot. The Town Board recently reaffirmed its offer to buy our current building and assist in obtaining necessary studies and approvals. We have worked with Parks & Recreation to develop a plan that benefits us both. The proposed plan would improve circulation for summer camp drop-off and pick-up in the main parking lot by separating buses from cars while also adding green islands with trees providing beauty and shade. An extra 40 parking spaces for the park staff will be added elsewhere in the Park.
Q. How do I learn more about the Library and its offerings? A. The Library’s web site (www.lewisborolibrary.org) provides information on upcoming programs and events targeted at specific age groups or interests. A weekly column in the Lewisboro Ledger also highlights upcoming programs. Our Librarians and support staff cheerfully respond to patron requests and questions. Community members who wish to volunteer to help with Library activities and efforts are welcomed and may learn close-up how the Library functions and why expansion is essential.
A. You can speak directly to the Library Director, Cindy Rubino, or staff or to any of the 15 Trustees (who may even be neighbors as they come from all parts of Lewisboro). Names and photos of the Trustees are displayed at the Library. The Library’s web site, www.lewisborolibrary.org also offers information. We’d like to hear from you, no matter what your opinion, but especially how and if you support the ideas outlined in this newsletter. All too often those with negative comments speak out the loudest and those with positive comments or questions are never heard. Write us a note or email at lewisborolibrary@gmail.com.
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Library usage up in tough times : |
