LIBRARY EXPANSION – FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
 

Where will you add on to the library? Would you eliminate the cupola area and add a second floor?

            The architect will study the existing building and surrounding land, as well as our current building program and space planning work forms to determine the best way to expand the library to make it a pleasant, comfortable, and workable building.     

Do we need libraries now that we have the Internet?

            Yes! Much of the information available on the Internet is disorganized, not factual, and sometimes dangerous. Some information is only available for a fee. The public library has staff trained to conduct searches and identify authentic sites. The library also has access to information available only through database licenses. And libraries are needed to provide free access to books and other materials for pleasure and entertainment.

Kids don’t seem to read anymore…why will they want a library?
People have been “reading” since before the invention of the printing press. School aged children are involved in many activities and also have required reading that takes up much of their time. If kids have visited the library for programs and to check out books, and if they have been brought up with reading materials in the home, they’ll enjoy using their library in the future. The library also provides many other types of media to keep up with the changes in technology (such as Books on CD, downloadable audio) and we expect that the library will continue to offer free access to all types of materials in the future. In a 2006 opinion study conducted by the Americans for Libraries Council, 9 in 10 Americans believe that libraries will be needed in the future, regardless of technological developments.

Will the library need to close during the construction?

We hope that the library will remain open during most of the building phases. There may be a point at the end of construction when the library will have to be closed for a few weeks to move collections and install new furniture and shelving.

Will the library hours change?

The library is currently open 56 hours a week including Sundays from September to May. With a few more staff hours, it may be possible to open the library an hour earlier each morning.

Will more staff be necessary?

With a larger building and more services and programs offered, we anticipate that we will need an increase in staff to maintain a well-functioning library. We plan on at least one, perhaps two, part-time Library Assistants. We will also need more custodial staff and will either hire a cleaning service to do daily cleaning or an additional part-time custodian. The current position is 19 hours per week and this last fiscal year the salary was approx. $10, 300.

How many staff members are there currently and what are the total salaries?
     Currently we have 3 full time positions (Director, Children’s Librarian, Library Assistant) and 11 part time staff, some who only work one evening a week or one weekend day a month. Part time positions range from 3 to 19 hours a week. The total salaries for the last fiscal year =  $228,934.

Are there plans to make areas in the library that are more conducive to quiet study and reading?
          Absolutely! It is important to us that we provide quiet study rooms and reading areas and to minimize the noise levels that we currently experience because of the openness of the current design and layout. The current plan includes 3 study rooms with glass walls for visibility and supervision.

Do you plan to add more computers so that there won’t be a wait?
          The current plan is to expand the students’ computer center to eight terminals with Internet connection and access to the students’ folders containing their assignments and homework. We also plan for five additional Public Access Catalogs (to do research and check our collections) and six additional adult computers for Internet access or word processing. In addition there will be wireless access for laptops.

Aren’t students able to access their school folders from home? Why do they have to use the library? 
          No, students can only open and save work to their individual folders from school or our library. Since the schools close at the end of the school day, including the computer labs and libraries, students use the public library computers to work on reports and assignments and save to their files. Since the library is open evenings and weekends, it is appropriate to have this access available.

What is the book collection size now, and what is projected with the expansion?
          Currently we have 48, 324 volumes and the collection size at capacity will be 82,155 as proposed.

With the statewide library card system, why do we need to expand the library if residents can borrow from the Enfield Library?
          The state has a great cooperative system of allowing residents from one town to borrow materials from another public library. This is a wonderful service but is not meant to supplant a town’s own library.  A good public library is a basic service that town residents are entitled to and expect. People move to a community because of the quality of the services available. A recent issue of Connecticut Magazine ranked the town of Somers as #7 of the 23 towns      with a similar population. One of the reasons for the high rating is attributed to “Leisure/Culture” services which include the local library.

What about the increased costs for heating and electricity?
          Although the plan doubles the square footage of the building, with a more energy efficient building and new light fixtures, we do not expect the utility costs to double. For FY05-06 we spent $20,196 for electricity and $6,642 for heat.