Library Expansion Project Moving Forward

With the completion of the The Hodge Group’s fund-raising feasibility study, Ames Public Library is ready to move forward with the library expansion project. We now have an expert assessment that $20 million is the upper limit for a library expansion project in Ames. This sum is dependent upon a successful fund drive for $4 million, possible public and/or private grants up to $1 million, and a successful bond vote of $15 million. (We expect the impact of a $15 million bond to be about $2.29 per month for a $100,000 home.) We are confident that this amount will achieve our objectives for a library equipped to serve a growing city in the years ahead.

For the past two years, we have held community meetings on library expansion based on our consultant’s report on space needs and options suggested by our architect. We have listened intently at these meetings and read the discussions online. With all of this input, coupled with the potential for funding, we are ready to begin planning an expanded library facility. We are directing our architect to create a design for additions to the current building in the areas originally intended for expansion. The core of the building will remain intact and the historic sections will continue to house library operations.

This expansion project will allow us to continue to grow and adapt the library’s collection in the years ahead, provide space for young people to learn and grow in a secure environment, and provide the flexibility to respond to emerging technologies. We thank everyone who attended public meetings, communicated with us online, participated in one-on-one interviews, or responded to our telephone survey. Together, we have reached agreement on a plan that best reflects the needs and wants of the Ames community.