1. Remodel the entire 45,000 square feet of the downtown facility. This includes connection of all three floors through a newly configured main lobby stair. The existing areas would be reconfigured to open the spaces up, move Children’s to the main floor, move Adult Services to the upper floor and move Collection Development and Outreach Departments to a separate building.
2. Upgrade the mechanical and electrical systems of the existing building. The boilers and the main duct work throughout the building would remain. Other components such as piping, the chiller, temperature controls, lighting and other components would be replaced.
The remodeling project will be paid for using money already saved in the Library Improvement Reserve Fund and other donations as they become available.
Pictures:
1. Proposed Main Floor Building Plan
2. Proposed Upper Floor Building Plan
3. Proposed Lower Floor Building Plan
Posts
As a library board member, I am excited about the "new" library coming to Kokomo. Please offer us some commments.............
ReplyDeleteAre there going to be quiet, study rooms? If so, where?
ReplyDeleteRegarding your question about quiet, study rooms: It is our intent to have one or two study rooms in the Adult Services Department on the upper floor. However, we have not yet had any meetings with the architect about the actual layout of the various departments in the proposed remodeled Main Library Building.
ReplyDeleteOnce again, the Library Board (and the architect) have come up with an elegant and viable solution to ongoing challenges. I know of no other group which has been so consistently thwarted by local politics, and has consistently arrived at good solutions, only to have them rejected. Both the Board and the Library Director deserve great respect.
ReplyDeleteThe drawings look like the existing cubic footage of the building will be well-utilized. Moving non-public services off-site is an excellent choice, even if a temporary steel building must be utilized.
Very nice, workable plan. I appreciate the board being financially responsible. I would like to ask about the possibility of adding more windows, or maybe you already have. I don't think you can have too much natural light. Regarding the bookmobile storage, are there no other vacant buildings in town that would be suitable? Thank you, John
ReplyDeleteMore windows are planned for the remodeled Main Library.
ReplyDeleteWe are not aware of any vacant buildings that are suitable. The building is planned to be more than a bookmobile storage building. In addition to a garage for the two bookmobiles, which need a 14 foot overhead door, there needs to be garage space for the library's pick-up truck and van. Also, the Outreach Department requires space for 7 office employees and space for 30,000 books and A-V items for the bookmobiles. Additionally, the Collection Management Department is being moved to the additional building. They need office and work space for 11 employees. The Outreach and Collection Managment Departments need to be moved from the Main Building to allow for space for the other departments remaining at Main to expand. The challenge is finding a building with the appropriate garage space, book storage space and office space (not too much space and not too little space) that fixing up to suit the library's needs would be more cost-effective than buidling a pre-engineered building.
if u really think about it putting the adults services up stairs may not be such a great idea. When i come there i see a lot of elderly people there. how r they to get up stairs and how much more of a hustle would it be for them and handicap people to get up there?
ReplyDeletei really like the ideas. i'm hoping you'll include a referance desk on both floors. sometimes it's really hard to find books. also is there still going to be a place for movies and which floor will it be on?
ReplyDeleteRegarding Adult Services on the second floor: The "back door" off of the parking lot will be open to the public and will probably become the new "front door." The elevator will be next to this door and very accessible to the elderly or handicapped who want to go to the second floor.
ReplyDeleteResponse to Nicki: There will be a reference desk or help desk on each floor. In the present building and in the remodeled one, please ask the person at one of those desks to help you find a book you are looking for. That is what they are there to do!
ReplyDeleteMovies will have a large section on the main floor.
I come weekly and sometimes twice in a week with my three daughters. I am concerned about moving the adults upstairs and the childrens downstairs. I like that the children's dept. is upstairs as it offers a separate space, and discourages teenagers and adults from walking through the space. I have not enjoyed standing in the video section as my girls pick videos along side adults. It would feel safer if the spaces children use are just not part of the main walk through or combined with adult materials, as in the video dept. Also, when my father visited he could not come upstairs with us because of the climb, so I believe the comment about elderly not wanting to go to the second floor is valid. Also, I would love to see the main entrance or an additional entrance off the parking lot. It sure would make it easier to carry bags of books when you don't get a close meter space.
ReplyDelete