Published: July 25, 2008 12:08 am            

Committee working on vision for future

The Huntsville Library feasibility ad hoc committee continues to make progress with its task to identify the vision of the future of the Huntsville Public Library.

The 20-member group, created in November by the Huntsville City Council, has spent the last seven months organizing ideas and thoughts on the issue.

Several members met on Thursday at City Hall, discussing plans to give residents a chance to voice their views on the future of the library with town hall meetings.

City librarian Linda Dodson said the purpose of the committee is to identify the needs and wants of the community.

“There needs to be a wider viewpoint than just the library staff,” she said. “We have 20 members of the community providing input. It’s a good group of people to work with who are willing to bring different viewpoints.

“Representatives from council also provide input from its perspective.”

During the meeting, a subcommittee was selected to begin planning the structure of the upcoming town hall meetings, including questions to guide discussions.

Dodson said the town hall meetings are an important aspect of the process.

“The most important thing is to look at the wants and needs of the community and what we can afford,” she said. “These meetings will give the people a chance to come out and support the library, ask questions and give their input.”

Other members include chairman Ann Holder, Sylvia Bell, Janet Ridley, Kay Douglas, Morris Johnson, Gene Myrick, Sandra Ray, Jack Ross, Joyce Robinson, Rosa Valles, Robert Vann, Julie Woods, Dalene Zender, Mac Woodward, Jane Monday, Nancy Franklin, Dennis Reed, Sharon Duke and Mayor J. Turner.

The City Council earmarked $90,000 for the committee in the 2007-08 fiscal year budget, when concerns were raised that the existing facility no longer met the needs of its patrons.

Dodson presented a presentation to City Council outlining problems, including limited space, limited staffing and limited parking.

The library, covering 7,000 square feet, can accommodate 150 people, has two restrooms and has 42 parking spaces.

Library feasibility studies completed in 1991, 2000 and 2003 were not successful.

However, Dodson said it will be beneficial for the end product.

“From what I’ve read, when you do a study, in the end it saves you money,” she said. “We ask questions and find out what options are out there.”

In June, the group took a positive step forward, approving a plan of steps to determine the best option for the community.

They kept options open, according to the report that outlines four different scenarios for library expansion.

The report, based on the April 2000 library study prepared by HALS Consultant Dr. Julie Todaro and August 2003 library study prepared by Jerilyn Williams, recommended that the library needs between 27,000 and 30,000 square feet to meet the needs of the community in 2010 and the near future.

“After we looked at the population numbers, we realized that looking out into the future 20 or 30 years was an overreach at this time in Huntsville,” said member Nancy Franklin.

The studies also recommended 150 parking spaces.

According to the report, “any new building or expansion of the present library should be done on available land owned by the City of Huntsville which might include expansion on and near the present library, perhaps using the present 7,000 square-foot building; a new building in the area of Eastham-Thomason Park near the old soccer fields, a new building on land donated to the city for a new library or investigate the possible purchase of land across 14th Street which might provide needed parking if the library is expanded at its present location.”

The committee’s plan also includes hiring an architectural library specialist “as a consultant to help the committee determine the best choice among the site locations.”

Turner said the specialist would be able to provide the committee with ballpark prices for each site option.

“This plan will be a great starting point for the specialist,” he said. “It’s a tool to understanding what our needs are and what our options are.”

Franklin said the specialist “will also provide preliminary designs for sites.”

“The specialist can help us to achieve our goals in the most cost efficient manner,” she said.

The committee is currently in the process of obtaining Requests for Qualifications for the architectural library consultant.

Dodson said she hopes the community will continue to support the library.

“Residents can talk to their city officials,” she said. “It’s important that the public says what it is that is important to them.”

        

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