THE LIBRARY RENOVATION PROJECT: TO BETTER SERVE OUR COMMUNITY A PUBLIC/PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP TO REORGANIZE AND ENHANCE THE SERVICES OF THE WILBRAHAM PUBLIC LIBRARY Wilbraham Public Library 25 Crane Park Drive Wilbraham, MA 01095 tel: (413)596-6141 www.wilbrahamlibrary.org The Library Renovation Project Page 1
Introduction: Your Community Library Today The Wilbraham Public Library (WPL) provides services and programs to educate, entertain, and enlighten its patrons. To achieve this mission the Library provides: Responsive, qualified staff to assist library patrons, Access to a broad selection of quality resources, Access to current technology for persons of all ages, A range of library programs for persons all ages, Appropriate facilities to support services and programs. The dynamic changes in our society in recent years have created a dramatic increase in library use across the nation, and this is certainly in evidence in Wilbraham. Each week our extraordinary public library welcomes 2,700 visitors of all ages through its doors more than 140,000 visits per year. Sixtysix percent of our 14,000 residents hold active library cards, and 40% of town residents use the library once a month or more. In addition, the national recession has only heightened demand for essential library services as families seek inexpensive programs for their children and themselves, those looking for work seek job search resources and computers, and seniors seek a place to relax and recreate. WPL continues to be our true community center, and as the place where the townspeople come together, the library s popularity has led to serious overcrowding. Our efforts to expand services in new directions to include computer technology and more programs for all ages, while still maintaining traditional offerings, have resulted in cramped and uncomfortable conditions for patrons. Comparisons between 1998 and 2008 offer an insight into the way services and programs have grown: SERVICES & PROGRAMS 1998 2008 % Gains Registered internet users 631 3,718 +589% Interlibrary loans borrowed from WPL 936 14,723 +1,572% Interlibrary loans borrowed by WPL patrons 941 13,532 +1,438% Adult programs per year 78 127 +162% Adult program attendance per year 678 2,160 +319% Meetings held in Brooks Room 198 274 +138% The Library Renovation Project Page 2
Why the Library Needs Your Help The Wilbraham Public Library is known for its warm atmosphere and friendly, courteous, and professional staff. However, our building can no longer keep pace with usage at vastly higher levels than anticipated and demand for greater and more varied services constantly increasing. The library was designed to hold 60,000 volumes. At one point we squeezed in 85,000 items. Now, faced with the need to make the best possible use of space, the library is reducing the size of the collection to 45,000 items both to allow for future growth and to reallocate space to other needed services. Without alteration, current space constraints prohibit further growth in technologies, collections, reading and study space, teen and children s activities and other services. Despite strong efforts to maintain the best possible collection and services, the library s current configuration cannot adequately meet community needs. In today s library: The Teen space is only 168 square feet, making it difficult to serve these young people at a critical time in their development. The Children s Room is demonstrably too small and is not accessible to baby strollers and those using walkers or wheelchairs. There are no quiet study areas or workplaces. There is no space for more computers for public or staff use. Staff work areas are inadequate. Simply put, we must address these issues if the library is to continue to provide the services and resources our community demands and deserves. How the Existing Library Can Be Improved Acknowledging that we must work within our existing building footprint for the foreseeable future, WPL engaged in an intensive strategic planning process in 2006 and developed a plan to renovate our existing 13,000 square foot building and to improve conditions over a five-year period. The Library Renovation Project Page 3
The Library Renovation Project plan that has been developed will not solve all of the library s space problems, nor meet the community s long term library needs. Our strategy is to enhance space parallel to and in conjunction with the Town s upgrading the facility as mandated by existing codes that are not being met at this time and as recommended by the Roy Brown Report commissioned by the Town. By following our strategy, we can efficiently combine public and private resources and contain overall costs. New Features Teens will have a larger, separate space for the first time. Approximately half of the mezzanine is intended to be used by middle school and high school students for research, study, interacting in social groups and library programs focused on teens interests. The flexible, casual environment is designed to attract teens and involve them in positive activities. Children from toddlers through elementary school will gain room on the first floor through space reallocation. The children s area will be defined by zones according to age groups providing for either quiet or active use. The collection will be rearranged for convenient access and improved displays. There will be group study spaces, a preschool play and program area, a parenting collection, and more computer workstations. Children will have opportunities to engage in a more stimulating and better organized environment enjoying books and other materials, computers, and interacting with other children and parents. Adults and seniors will enjoy the quiet study spaces and comfortable lounge seating along the periphery of the adult area and expanded computer workstations. The popular adult materials will be housed on the main floor and non-fiction will be on half of the mezzanine. The focus will be on the current interests of library patrons and lifelong learning subjects. Materials will be attractively displayed making the library a welcoming center of information, cultural enrichment, and entertainment. The Library Renovation Project Page 4
All ages will benefit from increased technology offered throughout the facility. This includes six additional computer workstations in the mezzanine for computer training and general use for internet access, email, reference databases, and office software. In all, more than 20 computer workstations will be distributed throughout the library with library staff available for assistance. All ages will benefit from improved lighting and appealing displays that enhance the overall library experience. The Brooks Room will be upgraded for audiovisual presentations and new windows. The proposed improvements will make the library an even more popular destination within the community. The Library Renovation Project plan is structured in four phases that will be merged and accelerated whenever possible: Phase One Creating a dedicated teen space in the mezzanine, Removing the existing staircase and building a new one toward the back of the main library room. Phase Two Consolidating service desks into one desk in the center of the library, Renovating the children s space, including creating zones and upgrading handicap access, Upgrading infrastructure and safety features such as emergency lighting and fire alarms. Phase Three Renovating the adult area on the first floor, including seating areas and browsing areas. Phase Four Modernizing staff office space. The Library Renovation Project Page 5
What Will It Cost to Renovate and Renew the Library? The total estimated cost of the proposed project is $800,000. The overall funding will be realized through a private-public partnership. It is anticipated that the Town Capital Improvements budget will provide $412,000 for infrastructure improvements and bringing the facility up to health and safety codes. The remainder, $388,000, will come from a joint effort between the library staff and Library Improvements For Tomorrow, Inc. (LIFT), a non profit organization formed by the Library Board of Trustees to address capital needs. As of December 2009, when the concerted effort to raise private support began, the Town has provided $204,000. More than $100,000 has been generated through LIFT, Library State Aid, and a federal LSTA grant for teen services. LIFT s goal is to raise the additional $288,000 of private-sector support required to bring the Library Renovation Project plan to fruition. Library Renewal Costs Total $800,000 over Five Years Private Giving, $388,000 Town Contributions, $412,000 $400,000 $300,000 $200,000 $100,000 $0 Funds Raised Thus Far December 2009 LIFT Funds Raised to Date Town Commitments to Date What Does the Library Offer? The Wilbraham Public Library provides an impressive array of programs and services: On-line and print reference services, with email reference access 24/7, Thousands of professionally selected books, DVDs, magazines, and other materials to borrow, Access to computer workstations and on-line resources, as well as webbased access to information and materials through www.wilbrahamlibrary.org, Adult, teenager and children s programming, with reading programs for all ages, Cultural events such as music programs, lectures and art exhibits, Children s special events such as performers, fairs and summer reading activities, Teen Advisory Board and Teens of the Wilbraham Library groups for high school age and middle school age teens, respectively, Outreach and delivery services to schools, institutions and homebound individuals, Archival repository for local history resources. The Library Renovation Project Page 6
While we are streamlining our collection down to 45,000 items for space reasons, the emphasis of our collection development is to focus on popular materials, lifelong learning, and formal education support for grades K-12. Patrons are not limited to the materials on our shelves, as they can obtain what they need through the statewide interlibrary loan and delivery. Who Does the Library Serve? Each year, the Wilbraham Public Library serves more people than any other Town agency. The growth in usage of the library has been dramatic, increasing much more rapidly than the town's population. More than 6,400 people attended the library programs in 2008, including adult cultural and information programs, preschool story time, special events and the summer reading program for children, and reading groups and other programs of interest to teens. An average of 400 users per week sign on to use the in-house internet computers, and an average of 481 people per week access our website (www.wilbrahamlibrary.org) for information about the library, its services, and links. All population segments use the library. Children and teens come in after school and on weekends to do research and borrow books. Families take advantage of the library to introduce their young children to the world of reading and participate in children's programming. Adults, youth and seniors rely upon the library for newspapers and periodicals, research, and recreational reading. Commuters and visitors often use the library for recreational reading, audio books, computer access, and local history information. The library also offers a rich array of resources used by local business and professional people. The Library Renovation Project Page 7
RECOGNIZING AND HONORING DONORS TO THE CAMPAIGN To honor and pay tribute to both living loved ones as well as those who have passed on, the Board of Trustees has established two permanent recognition programs for the Library Renovation Project. These programs demonstrate that you, your family or your firm, are dedicated to building a better future for the children and families of our community. Dedication and Memorial Opportunities Program Commonly known as Named Gifts, the Dedication and Memorial Opportunity Program will consist of plaques with donor wording affixed to rooms, departments, furnishings and facilities in the renovated and enhanced Wilbraham Public Library. Donor Recognition Program Five gift levels have been established to honor donors to the Library Renovation Project. Participants in the Donor Recognition Program will have their names permanently displayed in a highly visible area of the new library. The five levels of support are: Founder Benefactor Patron Sustainer Sponsor ($50,000+) ($25,000+) ($10,000+) ($5,000+) ($1,000+) All donors who contribute a minimum of $1,000 over a five-year pledge period are entitled to permanent recognition for their loved ones, families or businesses. Every gift to the Project is tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law. Please note that donors who obtain a Named Gift may also choose to appear on the Donor Recognition Program display. The Library Renovation Project Page 8
WILBRAHAM PUBLIC LIBRARY DEDICATION AND MEMORIAL OPPORTUNITIES Item Amount Each Total Amount Availability Mezzanine Teen Space (1) $50,000 $50,000 Teen Furnishings (10--group plaque) $5,000 $50,000 Adult Non-Fiction Area (1) $50,000 $50,000 Adult Non-Fiction Area Seating (1) $10,000 $10,000 Adult Non-Fiction Book Stack End Panels (1) $5,000 $5,000 Public Computer Area (1) $10,000 $10,000 Main Floor Service Desk Area (1) $15,000 $15,000 TAKEN Stairway (1) $50,000 $50,000 Main Floor--Children's Area Children's New Books & Media Center (1) $20,000 $20,000 Pre-School Zone (1) $20,000 $20,000 Elementary School Zone (1) $20,000 $20,000 Student Study Areas (1) $20,000 $20,000 Main Floor--Adult Area New Books & Media Area (1) $20,000 $20,000 TAKEN Reading & Study Seating Areas (4) $10,000 $40,000 Periodicals Area (1) $10,000 $10,000 Reference Area (1) $50,000 $50,000 Staff Offices Suite (10--group plaque) $5,000 $50,000 Director's Office (1) $10,000 $10,000 Staff Lounge (1) $10,000 $10,000 The Library Renovation Project Page 9
WAYS OF GIVING The Library Improvements For Tomorrow (LIFT) Board of Trustees has created the following ways and means for interested individuals, families, corporations and foundations to help provide the financial resources necessary to meet its programmatic, facility and endowment goals. Individuals, families, businesses, corporations and foundations can make donations on behalf of the library to LIFT through gifts of cash, securities, life insurance, real property, life-income gifts or other deferred gift options. Gifts may also be made as memorials or tributes to loved ones. Cash Gifts You may wish to consider supporting the Campaign through an outright gift of cash or by making payments on a pledge over several years. Cash gifts provide donors with an immediate income tax deduction for the full gift amount. Gifts of Securities and Securities Transfers You may wish to consider the benefits of making a gift of securities. Some donors find that a gift of this type can provide significant tax advantages. LIFT is fully capable of receiving securities transfers. If you would like to transfer securities in support of the campaign, or would like further information, please contact the campaign office. Matching Gifts Many corporations sponsor Matching Gift Programs under which an employee's charitable donation is matched with a contribution by the corporation. In this way donors can easily leverage the value of their contribution; in some cases the matching contribution is as high as three to one. Endowment Support Named gifts to the library s Endowment Fund provide donors with an opportunity to enable the library to fulfill its mission and to honor a loved one. Named fund opportunities afford the donor the chance to direct funding towards a particular need in perpetuity. Memorials and Tributes The LIFT Board of Trustees gratefully acknowledges gifts in honor or in memory of donors' friends and loved ones. Without mentioning the amount of the contribution, acknowledgments are sent to those honored or to the families of those being memorialized by the gift. The Library Renovation Project Page 10
Bequests and Planned Gifts Bequests Some donors may consider helping the Wilbraham Public Library through their wills or estate plans. One way to help is by making a general bequest designating specific assets to LIFT. Another is by making LIFT a contingency beneficiary of assets in the event that a beneficiary predeceases you. Charitable Gift Annuities A charitable gift annuity is an easy way for donors to provide for themselves while giving the Wilbraham Public Library greater security in the future. Each charitable gift annuity pays a long term annual income to the donor --- and/or another person, and eases annual income tax burdens. In addition, when donors fund a charitable gift annuity with appreciated long term assets, they may reduce a portion of their capital gains taxes. These annuities help secure the library s future by sustaining programs, staffing and the overall library mission. Gift annuity rates are determined by the age of the person receiving the income. Charitable Remainder Trusts Some donors may choose to transfer assets in the form of cash, securities or property to a trust, naming a trustee(s) to manage the assets. The trustee(s) makes distributions in accordance with your wishes as expressed by the terms of the trust. The trust will distribute income to you and, if specified, to a second beneficiary such as a spouse or child each year. Following the death of the primary and secondary beneficiaries, the assets held in the trust are transferred to LIFT on behalf of the Wilbraham Public Library. The Library Renovation Project Page 11
The above material is offered to help you understand why a renovation of existing space is necessary for the library to better serve our community. You can seek additional information about items and questions of interest to you by contacting Christine Bergquist, Library Director, at 596-6141. Thank You The Library Renovation Project Page 12