Why Suffield Needs a New Library Building AT THE CURRENT SITE

 

Suffield and Its Use of the Library

Suffield traditionally places heavy demands on its library.  Suffield's population is older, wealthier, and more educated than the state average.  More than 30% of Suffield’s adults over 25 had a 4-year college degree.  Suffield's excellent school system attracts families who place an emphasis on education.  These same families are frequent users of our library.  

In comparison with the libraries of 12 nearby towns of similar size,  Suffield ranks 1st in size of collection per capita at 7.4 (state average: 3.7; comparable nearby towns: 5.0).  Suffield ranks 2nd in patron visits per capita at  10.6 (state average: 5.9; comparable nearby towns: 7.0).           

In the past 30 years, the library has steadily increased its collection, its services and programs to meet Suffield's demands.   The library's auditorium is regularly used for presentations, meetings and movies; there are fifteen computer workstations and counting; expanded children's programs draw more and more participants.  In turn, the expansion in materials and programming has dramatically increased use of the library. 

 

The current Kent Memorial Library was built 35 years ago to meet the 20-year projected needs of Suffield.  Built to house 26,600 items (almost all books), but designed to accommodate a 20-year projection of 51,000, the building now houses a collection of 95,000.  

  • In 2003, there were three and a half times as many visits to the library as in 1973.
  • The library’s 1972 collection of 26,000 items represented fewer than 3 items per person; thirty years later, the library’s collection of 95,000 items represented 8 items per person. 
  • In 1972, annual circulation was 45,000, about 5 items per citizen; the 2003 annual circulation of 158,000 was about 12 items per citizen.

 

Investigation of a New Building

 

Over the past eight years, the Library Commission has worked with a succession of Town administrations to investigate the possibility of expansion, relocation, or a new building. 

 

In 2003, under First Selectman Elaine Sarsynski, the Town appointed a Library Space Needs Committee, which worked with several architects, to look at the possibility of renovating and expanding the current building or rebuilding.  

 

In the Spring of 2005, the Space Needs Committee, the Selectmen, the Library Board, and the Suffield citizens who filled out survey forms each arrived at the same recommendation -- to raze the existing building and replace it with a new library building of 28,000 to 30,000 square feet. 

 

In July 2006, a new Town administration under First Selectman Lingenfelter formed the Evaluation and Planning Ad Hoc Committee and charged it with review of options for a new library building library:  (1) add on and renovate the current building; (2) expand at Bridge Street school; (3) new building next to Bridge street school; and (4) raze and rebuild at current location.   The conclusion, despite a strong preference of many on the Committee to renovate and add to the current building:  to raze and rebuild on Main Street with a 30,000 square foot facility.  

 

            Why Replacing the Existing Building Is Most Practical

 

Of all the available options, a new building at the current location is the best option for cost, function, location and future expansion. 

 

  • The projected cost is approximately the same for all of the options -- expansion at the existing site, relocation to Bridge Street School, or razing and rebuilding at the current site.

 

  • The current site's central location is convenient and anchors the Town center. 

 

  • The most functional building would be a newly designed library building, as compared to a retro-fitted school building (Bridge Street) or an expansion of the existing space, which would require major reconfigurations and loss of existing space due to design and ADA problems.

 

  • All options have comparable expansion possibilities.

       

   Expansion of the Existing Building is Not a Viable Option

 

Expansion has always been the preferred option, but repeated in-depth study shows that it would be a waste of the Town's money. 

 

The conclusion was the same for both the 2003 and 2006 reviews of the available options, under two different Town administrations:  the cost of fixing the current building's basic shortcomings exceeds the cost of a new building. 

 

Also, expansion would require a fundamental reconfiguration of the existing building that would (1) dramatically reduce usable space and (2) eliminate the architectural features that characterize the existing building.

 

These are some of the problems with expansion:    

 

  • The existing building has five different interior levels, which makes expansion into a new adjoining space expensive and inefficient.
  • The interior ramps connecting the different levels do not comply with federal law under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).  Compliance -- even assuming waivers for some of the problems could be obtained -- will require major re-construction of the existing space as part of any renovation.
  • Eliminating the steep main entrance ramp would require substantial re-configuration of the existing building.
  • The enormous single-pane glass windows sap heat and would be costly to replace.
  • The current roof is flat, which is expensive to maintain and prone to problems; any expansion would have to retain a flat roof throughout.
  • A major ADA problem is the auditorium, which would have to be eliminated in the current space and relocated to the addition.
  • The existing structure was built with materials containing asbestos and lead.  In the event of expansion, extensive and costly and remediation would be required.
  • Parking at the current structure is limited to approximately 35 cars. 

     

Relocation to Bridge Street is Not a Viable Option

Use of Bridge Street School building or grounds for a new library building, like expansion at the current site, has been reviewed and rejected in both the 2003 and 2006  reviews of options for the library.  Generally, renovation would be too costly and would result in a space ill-suited to function as a library.  The specifics:

 

  • The weight of the library's books and materials would require removal of existing terra cotta load-bearing walls and expensive retro-fitting to support required loads;

 

  • Bridge Street's wood truss roof structure would require installation of a sprinkler system;

 

  • The age of the Bridge Street building increases the likelihood of conditions, now unknown, that would be discovered during renovation and expensive to address;

 

  • Changing the configuration and layout from a school to a library would be costly;

 

  • Air conditioning would have to be installed;

 

  • Bridge Street was built with materials containing asbestos and lead. Any renovation would require costly remediation;

 

  • The Bridge Streetbasement level could only be used for storage, rendering much of its square footage useless for a library.  


Problems with the Current Building

A newly designed library would eliminate the problems of the existing library, which have been identified in surveys of patrons, review of patron complaints, surveys of the staff, and in formal analysis by library design consultants: 

 

  • Shelf space is seriously inadequate.
  • Aisles are too narrow and shelves are too high.
  • Public meeting areas are too small.  
  • Children’s section is badly crowded and noise carries to adult section.
  • Steep, sometimes slippery hill from parking area to main entrance.
  • Ongoing roof leaks.
  • Continuing heating and air conditioning problems.
  • Too little computer and tutorial space.
  • There are no quiet study rooms.
  • No after-hours accessibility to public rooms (for after hours meetings, movies, etcetera).
  • The design wastes energy (heating, lighting).
  • Internal ramps are too steep for some patrons.
  • Five-level interior design makes it difficult and time-consuming to find things.
  • Too little staff workspace.
  • Inadequate parking.
  • Safety (sharp corners, hidden nooks, low interior railings).
  • Vehicle accessibility.

The Cost of a New Library Building

 

The estimated cost of a new building at the current site is in the range of $10 to $12 million dollars.

 

The Library Commission has obtained a $500,000 grant from the State, and has pledged a portion of its endowment toward the project, in addition to planned fundraising.  The rest of the funding would need to be covered by a bond issue on which the Town will be asked to vote in early 2008.

 

Why Suffield Needs a New Library Building

 

Suffield has outgrown its current library building.  The combination of increasing population, expanded programming and the quadrupling of the collection has increased the demand for library services and pressed the current building beyond its limits. 

 

The existing building is too small, too old and inefficient, too expensive to operate, and inaccessible to many, especially older residents.   The proposed new building will be designed to handle the library’s needs for the foreseeable future. 

The best use of the Town's money is a new building at the current location.  The available alternatives cost about the same, but would result in an inferior building.   

 

Why Our Library is An Important Town Asset

 

  • The Library is a center for community activities.
  • Libraries provide valuable public services including research, education, business development, and recreation reading.
  • A good library improves a town’s reputation, increasing the value of real estate;  
  • Maintaining adequate library services is a key civic responsibility.

 

     Why Now Is the Time to Build

 

  • The town enjoys a strong AA financial rating and cost of funding is low.
  • Major town projects such as school building/renovation project and fire station have been completed.
  • Space constraints will only get worse; costs of remediation are unlikely to decline.