Supporters say new library project no longer needs to cut
corners
Friends of the Library and the Morgan Hill Library Commission would like the Redevelopment Agency (RDA) to devote more money for the construction of the new library. The library officials plan on making the request during the public comment portion of Wednesday’s RDA and City Council meeting.
“I’d like to see another million dollars of RDA money go toward the construction of the new library,” said Carol O’Hare, Friends of the Library president.
O’Hare said she learned the RDA has extra money for city projects, including $980,000 previously designated by the City Council in the 2005/06 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) to assist in the development of a regional soccer complex at Sobrato High School. Since the board of the San Jose Soccer Complex Foundation is no longer pursuing development of a regional soccer facility at the Sobrato site, that money can be used toward the new library, said O’Hare.
At their July 27 meeting, the City Council received the recommendation from the Parks and Recreation Commission that the money be used instead for the Outdoor Sports Complex, which is slated to be built in the spring of 2007. Councilman Steve Tate stated that evening that the council was merely receiving the Park and Recreation Commission’s recommendation and not adopting it.
The RDA has assigned $17 million for the construction of a 28,000 sq. ft. library, to be located on the Civic Center site bordered by DeWitt, Alkire and Main. The amount, according to O’Hare, is merely for “a bare bones” facility.
The current library is over 30 years old, and is 14,000 sq. ft.
“The city had initially planned for a 40,000 sq. ft. library, dependent on state funding, which didn’t come true, so it had to scale back,” explained Rosanne Macek, community librarian, “At that time, based on a tight budget, the city could only devote $17 million for the construction of the facility.”
Macek indicated while Santa Clara County is responsible for the operational costs of the library, the city is responsible for construction of the facility. Groundbreaking of the construction of the new library is slated for March 13, 2006 and completion is scheduled for May 1, 2007.
“The money the city is allocating for the new library is only 70 percent of what was originally anticipated. So many millions of dollars have been spent on recreation facilities and only the minimum amount is being spent on the library,” O’Hare said. “I think Morgan Hill needs to make the library and education a higher priority for our community, not just the minimum that can be done.”
O’Hare noted the city is devoting $26.5 million to the indoor recreation center and has spent other large amounts of money on other community facilities.
Macek said she is aware that the Friends group and the commission plans to request more funds from the city. She said while expansion plans are already built into the current design plan, she feels the plan could be upgraded further.
“We could use a higher quality of materials, which would help it hold up over time, there’s the possibility of improving the exterior landscaping, and there is absolutely zero allocated for public art,” she said. “It may be another opportunity to fund this area if the city thinks it’s important.”
“The library is something the city had agreed to build at a certain fixed amount because that was all they had at that time, based on a tight budget. There are no allowances for overruns,” explained LACC chairperson Einer Anderson. “We feel the amount of money for the interior of the library is insufficient. We learned that the RDA has some extra funds and we are looking at the opportunity. We’d like to have an outstanding library and we are already working with a very limited budget.”
Likewise, the library needs more than books and a new building to serve residents, Anderson said. The new facility should be a comfortable and inviting space that welcomes residents to use their local library.
“The recent addition of arts and culture as part of the commission makes our agenda even above and beyond, which makes it even more important to make the library attractive and a place we can be proud of. It should be more than just books. When you go to other libraries, they have pieces of art work that decorate the interior. Also in the interior, there are necessities like the need for more shelves or a folding door which could separate a couple of meetings held in the meeting room.”
At press time on Monday night, the Library, Arts and Culture Commission met with representatives of Noll & Tam and City Architect Jim Dumas to review design drawings. Approval of the design drawings is scheduled to be an item on the agenda at the council’s meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 3. Anderson said also at the Monday meeting the commission will go through the process of defining and detailing the library’s needs and then make a formal request for more funds as part of a council agenda at a future meeting.
Macek sees future growth in visitors and circulation for Morgan Hill’s library. Over the past five years, she said the number of visitors per hour has increased 14 percent and circulation also has increased by 42 percent. Macek said this past fiscal year, the library recorded a total of 255,538 visits, with 105 people visiting per hour, and a total of 679,839 books, videos, magazines, DVDs and other items checked out.
“I expect them to increase at that same rate or probably more in the future,” said Macek.
She noted, because of the excitement generated with the building of new libraries in Cupertino and Saratoga, these libraries are now experiencing growth in circulation and patrons.
“I expect the building of a new library here, too, will generate so much excitement for our services that growth will be more than what we expect,” Macek said.
Rose Meily covers City Hall for the Morgan Hill Times. Reach her at 779-4106 or at rm*****@mo*************.com.
