Jasper Public Library Building Committee Library Site Recommendations

October 9, 2014

Agenda

• Our Approach

• Recommendations

• Closing

• Q&A

Our Approach

Before We Assume… Learn the Facts. • Seek to Fulfill Committee Goals

• Identify Comparable Communities & Libraries

• Understand Jasper Library’s Circulation and Activity Log

• Review Previous Studies

What We Aspire to Achieve. • Gain the Public’s Trust. Get It Done. Control the Costs

• Invest in Our Future. Build a 21st Century Community Library

• Visualize a Gathering Spot. High Quality Programs & Services

Committee Goals

Identify needs and wants of community

Evaluate our Programs & Services

Explore Public Commentary

Identify obstacles and recommend solutions

Site Recommendations Handout

Recommend 3-5 solutions/ideas to expand, improve, and/or build the Library

Provide Three Recommendations for a Suitable Library

Consider the cost of such an undertaking

Build within Set Cost Structure or Consider Phases

Fundraise and Secure Community Endorsements

Articulate real impact on tax payers

Library Peer Group by Population

Pawnee, IN Population: 79,218 (not our peer)

Collection vs. Square Footage

Collection vs. Square Footage

• Exceptional Collection, but Inadequate Space

• Assure Easy Access to Materials

• Create Adequate, Appealing Space for All

Narrow & Height Inadequate Non-ADA Friendly

Spacious & Accessible for all Ages and Physical Limitations

Ferdinand Library 17,000 Sq. Ft = 70,000 Collection

• Our Circulation Supports an Improved Library • Our collection goes way beyond books

• Technology is not replacing the Library’s use – its enhancing it

Circulation by Pop & Size

• 4% of Readers read e-books exclusively (Free Library Service)

• 28% report reading e-books, but not exclusively (Jan ‘14)

Circulation by Pop & Size • Similar Circulation & Population Size

• Behind only Fulton Co. & Tipton Co. in Circulation

• 24,457 Sq. Ft. to 30,000 Sq. Ft. ( Our Recommended Range ) -

• Built vs Last Renovation

• Don’t “Keep up with the Joneses…” Keep up with the Times

Programs & Services

• 550 + Programs a Year Offered

• Need Dedicated Spaces

• Seek Multi-Purpose Rooms

• Encourage Community Purpose

• Place to Invigorate Imagination

Good design is obvious. It is Functional.

Great design is transparent. It is Transformative.

Rethink Space.

• New Space Requires Flexibility

• Areas should be age specific

• Open to New Ideas & Approaches

• Drive new opportunities for library and the community

Key Considerations

Libraries are a Community Asset • Creates meaningful connections among people, ideas,

resources, and access for an entire community

• Beyond a safe, functional space – a comfortable, convivial, and interesting community resource

The Heart of our City is Downtown, Courthouse Square

• Central location maintains the Library as part of downtown fabric

• Promote a Walkable and Active Downtown and Civic Center

• Support the City’s catalytic downtown revitalization efforts

• Enhance opportunities for collaboration and partnerships

Key Considerations

Enhance Opportunities for Collaboration & Partnerships Among Agencies • Continue to identify opportunities to collaborate on services,

maximized cost-efficiencies, and shared community space

• Exemplify a synergy of public agencies and resources

Annex • Ideally, staff resources should be integrated rather than

separated from core building space

• If all functions can be met by new facility, Board will need to determine how the annex can best provide value to the Library

• Could serve as auxiliary space and dedicated parking spaces

Key Areas of Focus A Few Non-Existent Today

Areas of Expansion Needed (Approximate)

Current (Square Feet)

Future

(Square Feet)

Young Adults & Adult Collection 5,152 8,800

Circulation Desk, Workspace, and Cataloging 1,450 4,500

Children’s Collection 1,224 4,100

Program Areas

– Reading Room, Programs/Projects Space 768 1,300

Public Common Areas

– Meeting Rooms and Common Areas 882 4,500

Common Library Space

– Computer Lab, Study Rooms, etc. 556 1,800

Common Collections

– Periodicals, Music, DVD, etc. 480 2,000

Genealogy 500 1,000

Total Calculated Square Feet 11,012 Square Feet

28,000 Square Feet

Agenda

• Background data

• Recommendations

• Closing

• Q&A

A) Building New @ Current Site

• Location

• Community Support

• New Building on Site

• Existing Presence

• Land Ownership

• Addresses Unfavorable Engineering Reports of Existing Structure

• Parking can be Reconfigured

A) Building New @ Current Site

• Reconfigure layout on block to maximize building size, parking

• One rendition -- (Source: Mayor Seitz) Jasper Engineering Department during Mayor Schmitt's Administration

Jackson Street

Main Street

B) Hoosier Desk

• Location

• Aligns with City Revitalization Efforts

• Highly Advantageous Collaboration Site

B) Hoosier Desk

• Library Could Serve as Civic-Center Anchor for Full-Scale Development of Hoosier Desk Property

C) South-Newton

• Riverfront Location

• Visionary Anchor to the River Front District and Development of both North & South sides of our Riverfront

• Expands our Downtown Footprint & Commercially Viable Areas

• Potential Collaboration Site

• Requires City Planning Partnership and Infrastructural Connectors

C) South-Newton

• Potential Collaboration Site

• Requires City Planning Partnership and Infrastructural Connectors

Agenda

• Background data

• Recommendations

• Closing

• Q&A

Why Jasper Invests in High-Quality, Top Tier Community Assets

This answer is we would like to see this community come to be not the cheapest community in America, but the very best community of its size […] -

We would like to become the city in which the smartest, the ablest, the best young families anywhere would like to live… And we are happy to pay our share, whether in work, or in taxes, or in gifts…”

“Why should an industrial company, organized for profit, think it’s a good and right thing to take […] profit and give it to this community…

Why, instead, isn’t the largest taxpayer in the county, spending the same energy to try to get its taxes reduced, the cost of education cut, and the cost of city government cut, less money spent on streets and utilities and schools?”

Shape the Conversation.

• All Recommendations Capitalize on our Downtown

• Its not about a Building. Aspire to deliver a place where people experience the world. Where people and resources connect.

• South Newton – Physical / Visible Detachment must be addressed in collaboration with city planners / leaders

• Hoosier Desk – Investigate the full potential of a collaborative approach, the long-term cost savings of shared space, and demonstrated visionary leadership

• Current Site – Capitalize on “sense of place” within the community’s memory and reconfigure building grounds for maximum gain

Community Is Ready.

Let’s End the Conversation.

• Make it easy to close the deal – control the costs

• Secure key endorsements and upfront support

• Capitalize on Downtown Revitalization Efforts

Jasper Public Library Building Committee

Members:

• Brad Ward bward@dccommunityfoundation.org

• Christine Golden csigler@jdcpl.lib.in.us

• Joe Huddleston joseph.c.huddleston@gmail.com

• John Bell JohnB@truescripts.com

• Karen Grewe rkgrewe@twc.com

• Mark Kunkel mark@fullnet.com

• Pamela Catt pamelacatt@twc.com

• RDouthitt rdouthitt987@yahoo.com

• Tina Mair kjmair2@msn.com