Referendum FAQs

Building Project FAQs Guide

FAQ Full PDF Document

FAQs Index

Library History and Problem Statement
Q1. What is the proposed solution to the library problems?
Q2. What steps did the Library Board take to come to this decision?
Q3. Why does Villa Park need a renovated/expanded library?
Q4. Why now?
Q5. Why renovate and expand?
Q6. Why a referendum instead of borrowing?
Q7. How long is the renovated and expanded library expected to adequately serve the public?
Q8. Who is asking for an expanded building?
Q9. Why do libraries generally cost more than other facilities to renovate and expand?
Q10. How does the library benefit you or the community?
Q11. Won’t technology and the Internet eliminate the need for more library space?
Q12. Why not a new building?
Q13. How does our library compare in space to other suburban libraries?
Q14. I don’t use the library.  How will I benefit?
Q15. Have you thought of consolidating libraries?
Q16. Where would we see space improvements in the renovated and expanded library?
Q17. What is the renovated and expanded building proposed to look like?
Q18. Will the repaired, renovated, and expanded library building be energy efficient?
Q19. What do I currently pay in property taxes for the library?
Q20. What is a bond issue?
Q21. Is this a good time to sell bonds?
Q22. What impact does the library bond issue have on the village debt limit?
Q23. What is the estimated cost of the library building renovation and expansion project?
Q24. Will the Library Board ask for an increase in the operating rate as well?
Q25. Is the library eligible for any state or federal construction grants?
Q26. Are there other alternative revenue sources for this project?
Q27. How much will the renovated and expanded library cost me as a homeowner?
Q28. What is the library’s portion of the latest property tax bill?
Q29. What is the history of referendums at the library?
Q30. What will happen if the referendum does not pass?
Q31. If the referendum passes, what does the project schedule look like?
Q32. Would the library remain open during construction/renovation?
Q33. What will the ballot question look like?
Q34. When do we vote on the referendum?
Q35. Who can vote?
Q36. I do not own property but rent a home in the village, am I still eligible to vote in this referendum?
Q37 . If I am not registered at present, how can I register?
Q38. Am I able to participate in early voting?
General Information about the Villa Park Public Library
Addendum

Library History and Problem Statement

The Villa Park Public Library was built in 1969 and remodeled in 1997.  The 47-year-old building and its systems are  aging, deteriorating, and in need of extensive repair/replacement and updating to meet current building codes.   The Library Board had a facility analysis completed in March 2015.  The report indicated that major systems are nearing end of life and that there would be significant cost savings if the necessary upgrades were conducted at one time since all the major systems are interrelated (roof, boilers, penthouse, tuck-pointing, etc.)

In order to continue to serve the community in the safest and most efficient and effective manner, the Library Board decided to address these issues.  After several community surveys and public meetings, the Library Board decided to ask the community to renovate and expand to upgrade all building systems, to accommodate additional individual seating, small group study rooms, a larger meeting room, and additional parking.  The financial resources available to the library are limited.  If renovations and expansion are to be made, other funding must sought by the Library Board.

Q1. What is the proposed solution to the library problems?

The solution to the issues highlighted by the facility analysis is to renovate and expand the current library.  The library building space will increase in size from 24,500 square feet to 31,300 square feet.  The renovated and expanded library will provide:

  • Consistent, reliable HVAC systems with increased energy efficiencies and environmentally conscious building methods
  • Installation of sprinklers in the building
  • More parking
  • Outdoor book drop accessible from the car by the driver
  • A large, comfortable quiet reading room
  • Group and private study areas
  • Large community meeting room(s)
  • A larger area for teens
  • Collections which can be accessed

Q2. What steps did the Library Board take to come to this decision?

In 2013, the Library Board, staff, and community members participated in a strategic plan process.  In the strategic plan, the need for a facility analysis was identified.  The Library Board hired Nagle Hartray Architecture to conduct     the analysis.  In March 2015, the analysis was submitted to the Library Board.  The analysis indicated that the library’s repairs and replacements totaled $5.4 million if paid for within the next five years.  The full facility analysis can be found on our web site, www.vppl.info.

The Library Board determined to work with Williams Architects to address the building priorities and to assist in the public meetings.  Because of the urgency of replacing major systems which are all connected and based on input from the community, the Library Board determined to ask the community to explore renovation and expansion.  The Library Board feels that the community would realize greater cost savings by going to referendum at this time.

Q3. Why does Villa Park need a renovated/expanded library?

There are many reasons to renovate and upgrade the library and its systems.  Please find a list

below:

  • Upgrades and replacements to major systems (roof, boilers, air handlers) are needed.
  • Additional parking is needed.
  • Technology demands are ever-changing and additional space is needed to meet these demands.
  • Many books are on shelves that are located too low or too high.
  • The book stacks should be further apart to serve patrons with disabilities.
  • The elevator does not meet ADA or International Building Code requirements.
  • Community input has indicated the need for more meeting room space for programs, meetings, and events.
  • The library has inadequate study space for children and teens.
  • Reading and study areas for students are limited; more public space is needed.

Q4. Why now?

The library building’s aging infrastructure needs to be addressed.  According to the facility analysis, $5.4 million is  needed to be spent on the major building systems over the next 5 years.  It is more cost effective and efficient to address the systems in one major project since the majority of the systems are all connected.  Furthermore, costs  do not decrease; the cost of construction increases approximately 5% each year.

Q5. Why renovate and expand? 

One of your Library Board’s primary responsibilities is to keep aware on how libraries will be used in the future.  The Library Board has seen numerous area libraries renovate and expand their facilities and offer more public space and learning activities for their communities.

The Library Board agrees with American Library Association President Sari Feldman’s statement that:  “Libraries now must balance those traditional uses with a new responsibility: embracing the role of a community center for residents to gather, learn, study, be innovative, take classes, hold meetings, acquire skills and participate in group activities.”

Q6. Why a referendum instead of borrowing? 

In order to maintain a safe, effective, and efficient building, the library’s facility analysis indicates that the cost of the essential upgrades, repairs, and replacements would cost over $5.4 million.  To deal with these replacements and repairs more effectively, they should be done together.  Severe, drastic cuts to hours, materials, and services would have to be made in order to pay off this type of debt.

For example, going into debt for $2 million would require reducing the library’s hours of operation and severely cutting the budget for new materials, databases, programs, classes, and other services.  This drastically reduced    service would last for twenty years until the loan is paid off and would not address all the major issues.

After much discussion and community input, it is the Library Board’s conclusion that it would make sound financial

sense to invest in the library building with a referendum investment in order to meet the basic maintenance and

infrastructure needs, to address safety concerns, and to improve access to collections and services.

Q7. How long is the renovated and expanded library expected to adequately serve the public?

The renovated and expanded library is expected to last for another 50 years.

Q8. Who is asking for an expanded building?

The Library Board asked residents at four open houses this past winter and spring for input on features and the types  of space which residents would like to see in an updated library.  When the architects used this  information to create a plan for the expansion, they designed an addition that measured 12,000 square feet.  The Library Board and staff felt an addition of 12,000 square feet would be too costly. Therefore, the addition’s square footage was reduced to approximately 9,300 square feet.

Q9. Why do libraries generally cost more than other facilities to renovate and expand?

Libraries generally cost more than other facilities because:

  • Libraries contain relatively few columns or load bearing walls, resulting in higher steel costs.
  • Library buildings and floors require more load bearing capabilities to sustain the heavy weight of books and other materials.
  • Libraries must sustain the traffic of hundreds of users a day; therefore, carpet, walls, and other finishes must be long lasting and durable.
  • Heavier concentrations of data connections, power outlets, and telephone collections all contribute to higher electric costs.
  • Lighting levels that allow books to be seen on the lowest shelf and do not contribute to glare or reflections on computer screens add costs to the lighting fixtures.
  • Contractors on public sector projects are required by State law to be paid prevailing wage. This requirement leads to higher construction costs for public projects than one would expect to incur for a residential or private commercial project.

Q10. How does the library benefit you or the community?

Possibly the best answers are a sampling of quotes from residents responding to our most recent community survey questions:

  • “The library is an essential part of the community. Having a quality library (along with other public agencies) makes our community strong, makes families want to live in Villa Park.”
  • “Connecting with other people and families”
  • “Being able to use interlibrary loan to get books that VP library may not have”
  • “It provides programs for children and low income residents they might not have otherwise.”
  • “The use of the quiet rooms for job search/job application process. This is an extraordinarily valuable community service for job seekers.”
  • “Place to bring kids in a community sorely lacking in that area”
  • “Electronic content, audio books, hoopla, etc.”
  • “Positive environment to explore and learn”
  • “It is a learning/education center for information—possibilities should be endless.”
  • “I was homeless once libraries allowed me pc access [sic] Gave me a fighting chance of getting back on my feet”
  • “Saves us money on items we don’t need to buy in a store or online, provides a place for assistance in learning, motivates young readers, helps researching information.”
  • “Staff’s ability to assist with references, technology, questions”
  • “Books, all the digital resources, consumer reports, e-books, audiobooks, movies, awesome digital media lab, space to meet & free programs”
  • “Requesting books online so they can be picked up by whichever family member is passing library when items are available. (I am homebound, so this is a wonderful game-changing service that contributes to my quality of life!)”
  • “Wi-Fi internet access for laptop”
  • “As an expecting mother, I’m looking forward to having a place to take my child to story time and get materials to ensure his literacy.”

For me, the library provides me access to far more books

than I could ever afford to own.  For the community, I believe the benefit is that and more. It’s also a statement of how much we value literacy, reading and learning. 

~ Villa Park Public Library patron

Q11.  Won’t technology and the Internet eliminate the need for more library space?

While the Internet has changed how we live our lives, the computers and the people using them are heavy consumers of library space.  Staff members assist patrons in the use of all new technologies.  It should be noted that book use is stronger than ever, even with the increase in technology.  Much material is not available electronically, and many patrons prefer traditional formats.

An illustration of the traditional tendency to prefer print can be found in the private sector.  In August 2016, Amazon, a major online retailer, announced they will be building their fourth brick and mortar bookstore in Chicago.

A recent article in the September 3, 2016, New York Times, found on their web site at: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/03/business/no-the-internet-has-not-killed-the-printed-book-most-people-still-prefer-them.html?_r=0 , further illustrates that the Internet has not killed the printed book.

Furthermore, the role of libraries in the community and the expectations that the public has of their libraries has greatly changed over the past decade.  The Daily Herald recently published an article on how suburban libraries are responding to changes in the needs of their patrons: http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20160710/news/160719942/

Q12. Why not a new building?

Early in this process, the Library Board determined it was more economical to explore renovation and expansion of the current facility.  In this way, 30% of the construction costs would be saved since the existing brick, slab, and utilities could be used.

Q13. How does our library compare in space to other suburban libraries?

The list below is ranked in order from most to least by square feet (building space) per capita:

Library Population*

Building

Square Feet

Square Feet

per capita

Itasca 8,649 27,000 3.122
Wheaton 52,894 124,518 2.354
Warrenville 13,140 28,500 2.169
Batavia 26,045 54,000 2.073
Elmhurst 44,121 90,000 2.04
Glen Ellyn 27,450 52,000 1.894
Hinsdale 16,816 31,800 1.89
Bloomingdale 22,018 35,000 1.590
Addison 36,942 54,600 1.478
Villa Park* 21,904 24,450 1.116
Helen Plum (Lombard) 43,165 37,248 0.86

*Expansion of 9,300 square feet to 31,300 square feet of library space; elimination of penthouse /

replaced with rooftop units would put the library at 1.428 square feet per capita.


Q14. I don’t use the library.  How will I benefit?

The quality of the library, schools, parks, and village services all influence the overall

quality of life in a community and the market value of homes.

“A library outranks any other one thing a community can do to benefit its people.
It is a never failing spring in the desert”

-Andrew Carnegie

Q15. Have you thought of consolidating libraries?

Public libraries in Illinois have been proactive in consolidating services and sharing of resources already.  The Villa Park Public Library is a member of the RAILS library system which was created by the merger of five separate library systems.  Another downstate system, the Illinois Heartland System, was created through the merger of four separate library systems.

The Villa Park Public Library Board of Trustees recently passed a resolution to authorize an intergovernmental agreement with SWAN (System Wide Area Network), an automation consortium of over 77 member libraries.  This automation consolidation will take place in Fiscal Year 2018.  This means that Villa Park residents will have increased access to over 10.5 million volumes in the online catalog.  In addition, the library will recognize a cost savings with this migration.

Philosophically, a local library’s mission is to offer access to materials and services.  Consolidating with a library farther away from the community would deny easy access to those same materials and services.  Local referendum dollars stay in the community and work for the community.

Q16. Where would we see space improvements in the renovated and expanded library?

See the chart below to compare the space improvements:

Space Description Existing  (ca. Sq. Ft.) Planned  (ca. Sq. Ft.)
Lobby 550 900
Meeting Rooms for Community 1,159 2,901
Youth Services 6,948 6,734
High School / Teen 100 825
Adult Services 1,632 8,026
Periodicals 326 250
Audiovisual 512 500
Computer/Technology 428 1,843
Quiet Reading Room 80 349
Circulation/Outreach Department 1,167 806
Materials Services & IT 959 1,136
Administration & Record Storage 467 717
Parking

38 spaces /

2 handicap

50 spaces /

3 handicap

Staff 324 419
Outreach & Friends of the Villa Park Library 84 40
Subtotal: Assigned Area 18,458 25,446
Subtotal: Unassigned Area (Includes interior and exterior walls) 6,000 5,854
Total Area 24,458 31,300


Q17. What is the renovated and expanded building proposed to look like?

On the next three pages are the proposed perspectives of the renovated and expanded building.

site-board-corrected-school-street-20161011

open-house-boards-20160804_page_4

open-house-boards-20160804_page_5

Q18. Will the repaired, renovated, and expanded library building be energy efficient?
These energy efficient upgrades and replacements are simply what is required in a building in 2017 to comply with codes:
– New mechanical systems will meet or exceed International Energy Efficiency Code requirements, leading to substantial reductions in electricity and natural gas usage while being easier and more cost-effective to maintain
– Mechanical systems automatically monitor indoor air quality to ensure optimum ventilation and indoor air quality
– All lighting inside and outside the building will be replaced with energy-efficient LED lighting that consumes 30% of the energy the current fixtures do while improving illumination quality and greatly reducing need to change bulbs
– New lighting near windows will have daylight controls, automatically adjusting lighting levels based on available daylight.
– Lighting in staff areas and meeting rooms will have occupancy and vacancy sensors, automatically turning on and off lighting according to occupancy of the space
– All original windows in the building will be replaced with double-pane, insulated low-E glass and thermally broken aluminum frames
– Entrance doors will be thermally broken with thermal seals, reducing drafts into the building
– The roof and underlying insulation will be replaced with a new roof and insulation system. The new roof insulation will have an R-value approximately 5 times higher than the existing roof, leading to substantial energy savings.
– All plumbing fixtures will be replaced with new “low-flow” fixtures that drastically reduce water use per current code requirements

The Library will pursue a number of available energy efficiency grants to offset the costs of these code-required improvements, including grants from local utilities and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.

Q19. What do I currently pay in property taxes for the library?

The tax rate for the library is currently $.3997 per $100 of equalized assessed valuation.  The approximate amount of library taxes for a family with a $200,000 home is about $245 per year.  The total tax rate includes various fund rates, which are as follows:

Fund 2015 Maximum
IMRF (Pension) .0116
Library – Corp .3884 0.6000
Total .3997

Approximately 4.39% of your total tax bill goes to the library.

Equalized Assessed Valuation:

The latest (2015) equalized assessed valuation (“EAV”) of property in the Village of Villa Park is $508,616,735.  This   represents approximately one-third of the market value of taxable real estate in the village.

Q20. What is a bond issue?

A bond issue can simply be defined as a loan.  The Village of Villa Park borrows the money needed by issuing general obligation library bonds and pays the money back with interest over a period of 20 years.  The bond payments are funded with a separate levy on taxable real estate in Villa Park.

Q21. Is this a good time to sell bonds?

Yes. Interest rates for tax-exempt municipal bonds are at a favorable level.  Presently, long-term interest rates are in the 2.75% to 3.50% range.

Q22. What impact does the library bond issue have on the village debt limit?

The library bond issue will decrease the ability of the village to issue general obligation debt by the $10,600,000. However, the village has the ability to issue alternate revenue source bonds that do not impact its debt limit.  In addition, the village debt limit will grow as the tax base grows and as current debt is paid off.

Q23. What is the estimated cost of the library building renovation and expansion project?

Listed below is the breakdown of estimated project costs.

Estimated Costs
Land Cost $0
Bond Cost $169,896
Professional Services $962,850
Site Construction $1,056,583
Building Construction $6,906,918
Furniture, Shelving, and Equipment $744,500
Permits $91,660
Total $10,599,706


Q24. Will the Library Board ask for an increase in the operating rate as well?

No.  The Library Board determined to ask the community for a 20-year bond issue in order to make the improvements to the library building.

Q25. Is the library eligible for any state or federal construction grants?

Yes.  In the past, construction grant money has been available.  Currently, there are minimal funds available.  The      library has applied for a Live and Learn Construction matching grant in the amount of $125,000.  The library will be applying for a grant to replace the concrete fascia panels.  Any grant receipts will help defer the costs of any future  project.

Q26. Are there other alternative revenue sources for this project?

Yes.  The library’s fundraising group is the Friends of the Villa Park Library which is a 501(c)(3) organization.  The Friends have been very active in fundraising since its inception in 2004.  The Friends hold an annual Readathon, mystery play, monthly dine-out, and have hosted other various fundraisers.

Q27. How much will the renovated and expanded library cost me as a homeowner?

For a homeowner with a home market value of $200,000, the library’s tax rate will increase approximately $7.48 per month ($89.79 annually) to pay off the $10,600,000 general obligation library bonds over the next 20 years.  The library bond issue used for renovation and expansion will be paid off in 20 years and will drop off the tax bill.  Please see the chart below for more examples.

Market Value notes:  Your fair cash value is supposed to represent the market value of your land and home.  In most cases this value is understated.  Newly purchased homes tend to be less understated than those which have been occupied by owners for a longer period of time.

Senior citizen notes:  Senior citizens, 65 or older, are eligible for an additional exemption which would lower the added annual tax cost.  Senior citizens are also eligible to defer all of their property taxes until they sell their home.  Senior citizens may also apply to put a freeze on their assessed valuation.

Estimated Cost to Property Owners for Library Capital Improvements*

Home Market Value (1/3) Assessed Valuation Less              Residential  Exemption Taxable Value Equalized     Assessed Value Added Annual Cost (Added .142%) rate Added     Monthly Cost
150,000 50,000 (6,000) 44,000 $65.12 $5.43
200,000 66,667 (6,000) 60,667 $89.79 $7.48
225,000 75,000 (6,000) 69,000 $102.12 $8.51
250,000 83,333 (6,000) 77,333 $114.45 $9.54
300,000 100,000 (6,000) 94,000 $139.12 $11.59
350,000 116,667 (6,000) 110,667 $163.79 $13.65

Q28. What is the library’s portion of the latest property tax bill?

The library’s portion of the property tax bill is 4.39%.  94% of the library’s operating budget is from property taxes. The library does not receive any additional revenue from sales tax.  The remaining 6% of the library’s operating budget is revenue from state grants (when available), printing fees, overdue fines, gifts, and donations.  See the chart to the right for current property tax bill rates for Villa Park.

Rate % of Total Taxes for a Family with $200,200 Home*
County of DuPage (including Health Dept.) .1971 2.16

$119.70

 

Forest Preserve District .1622 1.78 $98.50
DuPage County Airport Authority .0188 0.21 $11.42
York Township .0507 0.55 $30.79
York Township Road .0495 0.54 $30.06
Village of Villa Park 1.4017 15.39 $851.25
Village of Villa Park Library .3997 4.39 $242.74
Grade School District 45 4.0035 43.95 $2,431.33
High School District 88 2.5477 27.97 $1,547.22
College of DuPage 502 .2786 3.06 $169.19
Total 100 $5,532.20
*Based on actual property tax bill

property-tax-pie-chart

Q29. What is the history of referendums at the library?

The library facility was built in 1969 with the passage of a bond referendum.  Minor remodeling was accomplished in 1997 following the passage of an operating rate increase referendum in 1995.  The Library Board asked the community to consider a new building and operating increase in 2008, but that referendum failed.

Q30. What will happen if the referendum does not pass?

The Library Board will evaluate needs and then reduce hours, materials, and services offered currently in order to meet the most pressing building issues.  The library’s operating budget is tax capped.  This fiscal year, the Library Board anticipated receiving 0.8% increase in this year’s budget.  Next fiscal year, the Library Board anticipates receiving 0.7% increase for the operating budget.  By contrast, construction costs increase by approximately 5% every year.

With every passing year, the difference between the rate of increase received by the library and the rate of increase in construction costs will grow exponentially larger.  This means that a decision to delay any renovation will cost more in the future than it does now.

  • Increased amount of dollars spent on an aging infrastructure rather than collections and services
  • No ability to increase spaces for studying, meetings, and programs
  • No increased parking
  • Access for persons with disabilities will not improve
  • Fire protection will not increase
  • Money will be wasted on less energy efficient systems
  • Inconvenient access to the book return

Q31. If the referendum passes, what does the project schedule look like?

If the referendum passes, the following proposed project schedule is planned:
• April 4, 2017: Election Day
• April 5, 2017: Yes vote means the design process begins. Design will take approximately six (6) months
• December 2017 – Awarding of construction contract completed.
• June 2018 – Phase 1 of construction (addition) completed.
• February 2019 – Phase 2 of project (renovation of existing building) completed.
• March 2019 – Final move in date.

Q32. Would the library remain open during construction/renovation?

The Library Board anticipates remaining open during most phases of the construction project.

Q33. What will the ballot question look like?

Shall bonds in an amount not to exceed $10,600,000.00 be issued by the Village of Villa Park, DuPage County, Illinois for the purpose of paying costs of remodeling, improving and building an addition to the existing Villa Park Public Library building, furnishing equipment and acquiring library materials such as books, periodicals, films and recordings and electronic data and storage facilities therefor, and paying expenses incidental thereto, said bonds bearing interest at a rate not to exceed 6% per annum?

Q34. When do we vote on the referendum?

Voting will be held on April 4, 2017, at the consolidated general election.

Q35. Who can vote?

Any United States citizen, age 18 or older, who has lived in the village for 30 days and is registered to vote from a residence within the village.

Q36. I do not own property but rent a home in the village, am I still eligible to vote in this referendum?

Yes. You do not need to be a property owner in order to vote in an election. You must be 18 or older, a citizen of the United States, and a registered voter.

Q37. If I am not registered at present, how can I register?

There are registrars throughout DuPage County. You can also register at the library or the DuPage County Election Commission. You can also register the day of the election at your assigned polling place.

Q38. Am I able to participate in early voting?

Registered voters in DuPage County may vote early at any DuPage County Early Voting Center conveniently located throughout DuPage County. Early voting begins 40 days prior to the general election. For more information about early voting or early voting centers, contact the DuPage County Election Commission at 630-407-5600.

Mission Statement:

The Villa Park Public Library builds, connects, and partners with our community to encourage exploration and discovery.  The library nurtures this growth through education, literacy, technology, and fun.

Board of Library Trustees: 

The Library Board consists of seven non-paid members who are Villa Park residents elected to four-year terms.

Communities Served:

Villa Park, Illinois (and contractually with the city of Oakbrook Terrace)

Population:

The estimated population of the Village of Villa Park is approximately 21,094 (2010 census data)

Facilities:

The current library building offers about 22,000 square feet of library space and 2,450 square feet of mechanical room space.

Library Hours:

During school year, open 68 hours per week*.  During summer, open 64 hours per week.

  • Monday through Thursday: 9:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m.
  • Friday through Saturday: 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
  • Sunday (Labor Day – Memorial Day): 1:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m.
  • Sunday (Summer) Closed

*The Library Board determined to close Friday evenings in May 2015 in order to put additional dollars aside for building repairs.

Registered Borrowers:

There are 8,850 residents holding library cards.

Library Usage in FY 2015/2016:

  • Total number of service hours: 3,314
  • Total number of visits/attendance: nearly a quarter of a million visits (221,098)
  • Total number of items checked out last year: over a quarter of a million items checked out (298,116)
  • Total number of attendees at library programs: 8,741

Collections and Equipment:

  • The library’s material collection has 104,318 books, 44,047 e-books;
  • 7,164 DVDs/videos (physical units); 1,439 DVDs/videos (downloadable titles);
  • 7,832 audio recordings (physical units), 6,289 audio recordings (downloadable titles);
  • 164 magazine and newspaper subscriptions.
  • The library has 12 computers available for Internet use for adults on the 1st floor.

Staff:

There are 12 full-time staff members and 37 part-time staff members covering 68 hours a week (64 in the summer).

Budget:

The budget for the 2016-2017 fiscal year is $2,154,500.  The library receives no sales tax; it receives 94.3% of its revenue from property taxes and 5.7% from other sources such as fees, fines, interest, and grants.

Addendum:

A: Construction Bidding

The bid process for the construction phase of the building project will be a public process that will include advertisements in the newspaper for proposals/qualifications but the exact method of bidding has not been finalized by the Library Board of Trustees. Regardless of the method of delivery (General Contractor or Construction Manager), the process will be the subject of competitive bids for the general contractor or trades and the lowest qualified bids will be presented to the Board of Trustees for acceptance.

B: Architect selection

The Library advertised and issued a request for qualifications from architectural firms on the Library’s website and in local newspapers. Fourteen statements of qualifications were received and analyzed. A shorter list of seven architectural firms were selected to be interviewed by the Library Board. From this process, two firms were identified to give presentations to the Library Board. In accordance with public building regulations for professional architect selection, the architects must be selected on qualifications and not fees. The Library Board selected Williams Architects using this criteria.

C: Increased spaces for the community in an renovated, upgraded, and expanded library. 

This past year, the Library Board sought community input on what features community members would like to see at the library.  This input was used to develop the program plan for the renovation and expansion.  Originally the program plan had an expansion of 12,000 square feet.  To reduce the cost of the project, the Board and staff reduced the square footage to 9,203 square feet. Here is what space will be gained with the expanded library:

  • A larger meeting/program room was requested:  To allow greater use of the room it can be divided into two smaller rooms.  There is an approximate gain of 1,360 square feet for this type of space.  Program storage space will gain approximately 300 square feet.
  • More public computers was requested: A computer classroom which can be opened for use by patrons when classes are not held was incorporated in the plan.  There is an approximate gain of 1,000 square feet for this type  of space.
  • A high school/teen area was requested:  There is an approximate gain of 725 square feet for this type of space.
  • More and larger study rooms (including quiet reading room):  There is an approximate gain of 870 square feet for this type of space.
  • Lobby space: A vending space was requested: There is an approximate gain of 350 square feet for vending and seating.
  • Parent/Teacher Resource Room: There is an approximate gain of 150 square feet for this space.
  • The current penthouse is used for storage of steel shelving, furniture, and building materials.  This storage is incorporated into the renovated and expanded footprint (an approximate gain of 150 square feet).
  • Space required to make current collections ADA accessible: approximately 2,300 square feet.
  • Public restrooms: current restroom space for the public is approximately 200 square feet.  Bringing restroom space up to current plumbing code has an approximate gain of 755 square feet.

 

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