Ames Public Library

Expansion Design Unveiled

2011-02-22T15:49:00.000-06:00

The proposed design for Ames Public Library’s expansion has been unveiled, and library staff are delighted with the results!

This design is the result of several months of re-drafting the library expansion plan to conform to the input we have received from public forums, one-on-one meetings with community leaders, and fundraising research. We listened, reviewed the objectives, and listened some more. We carefully considered whether or not the time was right for fundraising and whether we could accomplish our objectives for an expansion project that would serve the community for the next 15-20 years. We are confident that we have such a project.

Besides the need to expand for about 15-20 years of growth, we determined that to be successful we needed to fulfill these objectives:

Maintain the original 1904 façade, as it was re-designed for the 1940 addition.
Keep the 1940 façade facing Sixth Street, thereby saving the entire 1904-1940 sections of the library building.
Keep as much of the 1984 addition as possible, while correcting the deficiencies that have become apparent during the past 25 years of use.
Construct an addition over the 7,000 sq. ft. section of the 1984 addition that was engineered to accept a second story, and expand into the vacant lot that used to have the Strand Paint building.
Provide enough space for collection growth as well as more seating and study tables, especially within the youth services area.
Significantly expand the area for young adults (currently divided between the APL Zone and the children’s area).
Separate the youth services functions from the general library area.
Provide more meeting spaces for local organizations and library programs.
Provide a garage for safe loading and egress of the bookmobile.
Open up the public areas for better visibility, comfort, and wheelchair accessibility.
Provide for staff work areas adjacent to their areas of public service.
Keep operational costs down to a standard as close to current level as possible.

The result is a beautiful building that melds past, present, and future with a well-designed floor plan for both adult and children’s services.

The floor plan, artist renderings, and other related information are available online at www.amespubliclibrary.org/building.asp.

The estimated project cost for the proposed library expansion is under $20 million. The funding will be a “public-private” partnership, with much of the cost (about $15 million) funded by bonds and the remainder by philanthropic donations. We estimate that the bond will cost homeowners less than $30 a year per $100,000 assessed value. We will be working toward a bond vote in the city-wide election this coming November.

If you have any questions about the design, the floor plan, or the project in general please post them here!

First Look at Expansion Design

2011-02-17T12:12:00.000-06:00

The Ames Public Library Board of Trustees will get its first look at the proposed library expansion project tonight (February 17) at 7pm in City Hall’s Council Chambers, and you’re invited! We hope you’ll get a chance to stop into the meeting, watch it on Channel 12, or watch it on Channel 12’s on-demand website.

The architects at Meyer Scherer & Rockcastle have been hard at work designing a fantastic library for Ames. The proposed design expands on the current library buildings, preserving the historic charm of the library while melding it with modern spaces for Ames to enjoy into the future.

We hope you’ll love the design as much as we do! Please post any questions or comments here, use the online form, or give us a call at 239-5630.

Library Expansion Project Moving Forward

2010-11-01T09:18:00.000-05:00

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.

Library Plans to Expand at Current Site

2010-04-15T10:15:00.000-05:00

The site for the library expansion project will be exactly where the public library stands today. The decision to proceed with the project at the current site has evolved from community input and discussions with civic leaders since the Library Board of Trustees decided last fall to build on the parking lot site across from City Hall.

The main reason for the original decision to build at the City Hall site was to build a library uninhibited by the design constraints presented by the current library building. The disruption of library service at the current site during an 18 to 24 month expansion period was also a factor.

However, several problems arose from the "City Hall site" that held legitimate concern:

Parking and traffic congestion at west end of downtown Ames would be aggravated by a library that is expected to draw a half million visitors per year. (The current site has a parking lot already in place, which could be expanded by building a parking deck above it.)
Despite an aggressive effort to find an alternate use for the current library building, one was not forthcoming. Developers were clear that the current building held no viable commercial application. Human service agencies and arts organizations found the building too expensive to retro-fit for their needs..
The current site is adjacent to the Octagon Center for the Arts and the Ames Historical Society. This union has become established as a cultural anchor for the Main Street Cultural District which is important to the vitality of downtown Ames.
There were concerns about the preservation of the historic sections of the library building if it were sold.

After discussing these issues, the Board of Trustees decided to plan the expansion at the current library site.

The current building will present its own set of design challenges to overcome. The most recent addition in 1984 was burdened by design compromises in functionality that has perpetuated the inefficient use of space. Serious problems under the regulations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) will also need to be corrected.

Upon examination of these problems, it became apparent that the layout of space and office areas within the historic sections would be more favorable to a museum and archive. The Ames Historical Society has expressed interest in their museum and archive being housed within the historic section of the library building. As both Ames Public Library and the Ames Historical Society have a common objective to preserve the history of Ames and make it accessible to the public, we are now discussing how to make this partnership work for the benefit of the people of Ames.

October 14 Public Forum Cancelled

2009-09-30T12:01:00.002-05:00

The public forum scheduled for October 14 has been cancelled. Meetings with city administration and some preliminary site work will be taking place prior to the next round of public forums that will consider design options for the site selected by the Library Board at their September meeting.

If you would like to be added to the e-mail list to receive notices when public forums are coming up, please use the Library's online Comment Form.

Board Chooses New Library

2009-09-25T14:18:00.002-05:00

Board Chooses new Library

At its meeting on September 24, the Ames Public Library Board of Trustees decided to begin design of a new library building and parking structure at the site of the parking lot east of City Hall.

This decision came after many months of public meetings, community input, and deliberation. Based on the intention to keep the library downtown and to use land already owned by the City of Ames, the site selection came down to two options: demolition of the 1984 portion of the current building and reconstruction to accommodate current and future needs, or building a new building with parking solution at 6th and Clark. After discussing the pros and cons of both options and hearing from various interest groups within the community, Ames Public Library's Board of Trustees voted 6 to 2 to instruct the architect to design for the 6th and Clark site.

The Board members that voted in favor of this option gave a variety of reasons, including increased flexibility to design for the future with energy efficiency in mind, the lack of need for a temporary library site for the two years it would take to reconstruct at the current site, and inefficiency in destroying the 1984 addition to the Library in order to build a larger version for the same purpose.

“The new building will be state-of-the-art in the library’s needs and in energy efficiency,” said trustee Dudley Luckett. “It will be a great statement to the Ames community. With two downtown buildings we can be proud of, we can have our cake and eat it too.”

The next phase of the library building project will focus on design. Public forums are being scheduled to gather public input on the architecture, style, and design of the new library.

Where to Build

2009-09-22T11:14:00.001-05:00

Remember, this Thursday is a big day for the Ames Public Library Building Project. At its meeting September 24 at 7pm in the Council Chambers at City Hall, the Library Board of Trustees plans to decide on which site the architect will design our future Library.

As always, there is a "Public Forum" portion of the agenda to allow citizens to express opinions and concerns. Citizens are also welcome to come just to listen. The meeting will be broadcast live on Channel 12.

If you're a little fuzzy on what the options are, visit the Library's Building Project page and check out "Presentation July 21, 2009" under "Documents." Please remember that the pictures in this slide show use simple rectangles to show the basic height and location of buildings. Actual building shapes, architecture, materials, and other details will be discussed at public forums starting in October (for the option that is chosen by the Library Board at the September 24 meeting).

Thank you for all of the feedback you have given so far. We hope to see you Thursday! Stay tuned for more information on the design phase.

Board to Determine Building Site

2009-08-27T11:05:00.002-05:00

On September 24, the Ames Public Library Board of Trustees will decide the site for the design of Ames' future library. At their meeting that night, the Trustees will weigh the pros and cons of each site along with the feedback from all of the public meetings with the architect, the August Board meeting, and e-mails and phone calls.

If you have an opinion, please don't hesitate to share it! Post a comment on the blog or Facebook page, send it through the Comment form, or call us at (515) 239-5630. This is your library, and we need to know what would make the future library right for you!

The Board of Trustees meeting will be held at 7pm on Thursday, September 24 in the City Hall Council Chambers.

Site Options Feedback

2009-07-22T14:37:00.003-05:00

Thank you to everyone who participated in the July 21 public forum about the pros and cons of the two proposed site options! The feedback from the meeting will be posted on the building project webpage at www.amespubliclibrary.org/building.asp soon.

As you continue to weigh the options, please be sure to send us your thoughts. You can do this by:

Commenting on the blog.
Commenting on our Facebook page.
Sending feedback on the Contact Us page.

You can also speak directly to the Ames Public Library Board of Trustees at their next meeting Thursday, August 20 at 7pm in the Council Chambers at City Hall.

At their September meeting, the Board of Trustees will use all of the gathered feedback to decide which site option the architects will take forward into the design process.

Thank you for taking part in this important discussion!

July Public Forums

2009-07-10T13:47:00.002-05:00

This month's public meeting to discuss Ames Public Library's expansion project will be held July 21 at 7pm in the Library's Farwell T. Brown Auditorium.

You are invited to come and share your ideas about how Ames Public Library can continue to serve you and the Ames community. For more information, please call (515) 239-5630.

The presentation (which includes the two options we will be discussing) and feedback from the June meetings are available on the Library Building Project webpage.

Will the Kindle® Kill the Library?

2009-06-23T14:49:00.001-05:00

Discussion about the library building expansion has several Ames residents questioning the future of libraries with the advent of e-books that can be downloaded onto electronic devices. After centuries of the traditional book format (i.e. paper bound between front and back covers), will a new generation of readers adopt electronic reading devices as their medium of choice? Will this conversion to e-books negate the need for libraries?

In 2007, Amazon introduced their version of the e-book reader in the form of the Kindle®, a device onto which you can download popular book titles, journals, and even newspapers. The original Kindle®, with a six-inch screen that is about the same size as a mass market paperback, now sells for $359. The newly-introduced Kindle DX® has a 9.7 inch screen size, similar to a standard hardcover book, and retails for $489. Downloading a book title onto a Kindle® costs $10-$15, a savings over the price of most hardbound books. Including the initial investment of $359-$489, the breakeven point for buying a Kindle® and e-books over buying traditional books would be around 40-60 books.

Such a purchase might pay off over time for an avid reader, but what about the rest of us? Could the library have Kindles® available to checkout with the books loaded on them? Amazon’s purchase policy specifically prohibits the practice of loading Kindles® with specific book titles for loan. Although a few public libraries have ignored this restriction, Ames Public Library respects the contractual agreements that come with the purchase of a Kindle®; therefore, Kindles® for library loan are not under consideration here.

If/when a device without such restrictions becomes available, there will still be major issues to consider. In addition to proprietary concerns (which companies’ devices should we carry?) and obsolescence (how often do we need to upgrade to the newest device?), vulnerability to physical damage is an obvious concern in a device that is meant to be portable. We anticipate that, like a book, e-book devices will be taken to the beach, the outdoor hammock, and the airport. Loss or damage to the device will result in replacement costs well beyond the tolerance of many library users.

An expensive start-up cost, the potential for loss due to damage or misplacement, and the fragility of electronic devices prone to “crashes” and dead batteries still vex the consumer. These substantial obstacles must be overcome before the library book goes the way of the papyrus scroll or clay tablet. The traditional book format continues as an inexpensive, stand-alone, “no batteries required” option for reading.

Rest assured that the library will embrace new technology as soon as it is cost-effective to do so, changing our spaces to accommodate the needs of our patrons just as we have in the past. As we plan for building expansion, we will design with flexible, adaptable space as a priority to ensure the structure can accommodate whatever lies ahead.

Ames Public Library is so much more than bookshelves—it’s a fundamental resource for lifelong literacy and learning, a social and cultural gathering place, and a cornerstone of our community. Will the commercial distribution of books in downloadable formats kill the library? Definitely not!

June Meetings Coming Up

2009-06-04T14:52:00.004-05:00

The next round of public meetings about Ames Public Library's building project will be held Tuesday, June 16 and Wednesday, June 17. We hope to see you at one of these forums:

Tuesday, June 16:

7pm, Farwell T. Brown Auditorium, Ames Public Library

Wednesday, June 17:

10am, Farwell T. Brown Auditorium, Ames Public Library
2pm, Northcrest Community
7pm, Community Room, Ames Public Library

Jeffrey Scherer of Meyer, Scherer & Rockcastle—the architectural firm that will be making recommendations for the expansion of the library—will present two concepts based on feedback from the February, March, and May public meetings. One concept will be on the library's current site, and the other will be on the site across from City Hall. The design of both options will strive to be as comparable as possible in function, service, parking, quality, and efficiency.

The presentation and feedback from the May meetings are available on the Library Building Project webpage.

Public Meetings Next Week

2009-05-12T19:37:00.001-05:00

The next round of public meetings about Ames Public Library's building project will be held Tuesday, May 19 and Wednesday, May 20. We hope to see you at one of these forums:

Tuesday, May 19:

7pm, Farwell T. Brown Auditorium

Wednesday, May 20:

10am, Farwell T. Brown Auditorium, Ames Public Library
2pm, Northcrest Community
7pm, Community Room, Ames Public Library

Behind the Scenes Tours a Hit

2009-04-28T11:30:00.001-05:00

What a weekend! Over 200 people took tours of Ames Public Library Thursday through Saturday, and many commented on how informative they found the tours.

If you weren't able to make it, don't despair! We've extended the self-guided tours through this Wednesday. Just stop by the table in the lobby for a map and follow the numbers. Please feel free to talk to staff members, ask questions, and look around the work areas.

If you're curious what other people thought, check out the responses from the comment cards here.

April Updates

2009-04-15T14:30:00.001-05:00

In between the relatively long wait between the March public meetings and the ones coming up in May, library staff and the architects are keeping very busy.

The architects at MS&R have been working with the three concepts distilled from the March public meetings. (Build a new building across from City Hall, expand on the current site maintaining the 1904 and 1940 facades, or expand on the current site expanding toward—or even into—Douglas Avenue on the north side. See more details here.) In May, Jeff Scherer will return to Ames with ideas for how the spaces the library needs for the next 20 years could fit into those concepts.

Meanwhile, library staff have been busy putting together maps and information for the upcoming Open House Tours and compiling some frequently asked questions. The FAQ is available on the Building Project webpage, and should give a quick overview of what people have voiced concerns about so far. If you have a burning question that isn’t answered on the FAQ, or would like to see a more in-depth answer to your question, please let us know! You can leave a comment on this blog, submit a comment on the “Contact Us” page, or talk to a staff member at the Library’s Information Desk.

We hope to see you at the Open House Tours next week!

Behind the Scenes at APL

2009-03-26T09:35:00.001-05:00

Do you ever wonder what librarians do when they’re not answering questions or finding books for you? Are you curious what’s in all those hallways back by the elevator? Have you stayed awake at night thinking about what happens to your book after it disappears into the drop box? Now’s your chance to find out!

This April, we’re opening the “Staff Only” doors to give you a behind-the-scenes look at your library! See how your book gets from drop box to bookshelf, who orders and catalogs items for the library, and what other things the library does that you may not know about.

Stop by during one of our open house days and take a back-stage tour (self-guided or with guide):

Thursday, April 23: 10am-8pm
Friday, April 24: 10am-5pm
Saturday, April 25: 10am-5pm

Three Options Chosen for Further Study

2009-03-20T20:11:00.001-05:00

About 200 participants spread across the four public forums earlier this week discussed the various options for Ames Public Library’s future building. Many creative ideas and variations on the presented options came out of the forums.

At last night's meeting, the Ames Public Library Board of Trustees used the feedback gathered through public forums and staff meetings to narrow the field of building options down. These three options will be studied by MS&R in greater detail, including exploration of parking, accommodation of the spaces needed, functional efficiency, costs and operation of the library during construction:

Option 1: A new library placed on the land east of the city hall. The building would be between 3 and 4 stories in height. Parking could be located to the north including a single level parking structure along 6th Street. This option would involve cooperation with the bank to ensure they do not lose parking or their drive-through as well as an exploration of the maximum parking that can be provided without using the bank property. No underground parking will be included in this study.

Option 2: Remodel the 1904, 1940 and 1984 library and expand the library over Douglas Avenue, which would be closed to through traffic. The 1904 and 1940 building facades would be preserved in this option. An addition to the west on property owned by the city would be built to provide space for loading, bookmobile and deliveries. This addition would be done with full consideration of the needs of the United Methodist Church and their plans for an expansion. This option will include the study of the benefit of purchasing of the Elks Property and the house north of the funeral home for use as parking and building expansion.

Option 3: Extensively remodel the eastern portion of the 1984 library; demolish the 1940 addition and all but the exterior facade of the 1904 portion of the library for new library space. Demolish and expand the existing entrance up to the westerly property line of the existing site. An addition to the west on property owned by the city would be built to provide space for loading, bookmobile and deliveries. This addition would also be done with full consideration of the needs of the United Methodist Church.

These three options will give MS&R a starting point to create more detailed variations on each general idea. In May, Jeff Scherer will return to present their findings and gather more feedback.

Public Meetings in March

2009-03-05T10:50:00.005-06:00

The second round of public meetings to discuss Ames Public Library's expansion project will be held March 17 and 18. You are invited to come and share your ideas about how Ames Public Library can continue to serve you and the Ames community.

This forum will propose how this site or another nearby site can accommodate the size of the library facility needed for Ames, both now and into the future. A solution for the parking dilemma is among the considerations for the site of the library.

Please mark your calendar for one of these meetings:

Tuesday, March 17:

7:00pm at Ames Public Library, 515 Douglas Avenue
Farwell T. Brown Auditorium

Wednesday, March 18:

10:00am at Ames Public Library, 515 Douglas Avenue
Farwell T. Brown Auditorium
2:00pm at Northcrest Community, 1801 20th Street
Green Room
7:00pm at Ames Public Library, 515 Douglas Avenue
Community Room

For more information, please call (515) 239-5630.

To Branch or Not To Branch

2009-02-27T11:06:00.002-06:00

In the time before the next round of community meetings, we'd like to share some of the discussions from the February 16 and 17 meetings.

At the first of our public forums on library expansion, the question of branch libraries was posed. We responded by stating three factors that were involved in the decision not to pursue expanding library operations through branch libraries.

One factor is whether Ames is big enough for branch libraries.
A second factor is the costly redundancy of services in terms of staff and collection building.
The third factor is the public library as a focal point for downtown vitality.

Let us consider the size of Ames first. At the public forum, the consultants stated that Ames’s population, variously estimated now to be between 51,000-53,000, is on the cusp of the community profile for branch libraries. Actually, it is a bit more complex than that. The decision to introduce branch libraries to the community is a determination based on population size in relation to its area in square miles. We also take into consideration the "urban mass" of the community.

The City of Ames is 22 square miles in area. In reviewing cities that are 25 square miles or less in area, we find several cities with branch libraries, but most have much larger population bases. For example, Newark, NJ, which features ten neighborhood branch libraries, packs over 270,000 residents into its 24 square miles.

Of the cities with less than 60,000 people residing in cities of 25 square miles or less, we find very few that have branch libraries operating at least 20 hours or more per week. These libraries are typically located within suburban communities of large metropolitan areas, such as Worthington, Ohio (Columbus); Grosse Pointe, Michigan (Detroit); Burlingame, California (San Francisco); and Shaker Heights, Ohio (Cleveland). Branch libraries are typically considered as an option when a drive to the library is greater than 15 minutes from any given point within that community. In Ames, we do not have the traffic congestion problems that characterize these communities, despite our similar populations.

Cost is another factor. A branch library would require additional staffing, including replication of supervisory staff, which would add to the expense of operating a library system. The need to duplicate a core collection of books and other materials would affect our ability to build a collection with depth at the central library. On the other hand, splitting off a special collection would affect convenience for customers wanting materials from multiple locations.

Finally, our main library is centrally located in downtown Ames. With nearly 475,000 visitors each year, Ames Public Library is a leading draw to downtown. Its central location allows the library to contribute to the vitality of the Main Street Cultural District.

Stay tuned for more questions and answers along with a schedule for the next round of community meetings!

Thank You!

2009-02-18T11:44:00.001-06:00

Thanks to everyone who came to our first round of community meetings! We hope you found them informative.

Our next step will be to go through all of the feedback we received at the meetings themselves and through the comment cards. We will also be scheduling more public meetings with Mr. Scherer soon, so watch this blog, the newspaper, or your inbox.

Meanwhile, MS&R will be working on the feasibility study. The study will look at the possibility of renovating/building on the current site as well as seeking other site options in the vicinity.

Remember to keep sending us your ideas and suggestions as you have them! You can do this by commenting on this blog or filling out our online comment form at or through our comment form at www.amespubliclibrary.org/aboutLibrary/ContactUs.asp.

Opportunity to Share Your Thoughts

2009-01-23T10:00:00.001-06:00

Ames Public Library will hold public meetings to discuss Ames Public Library's expansion project on February 16 and 17. You are invited to come and share your ideas about how Ames Public Library can continue to serve you and the Ames community.

Please join presenter and facilitator Jeffrey Scherer of Meyer, Scherer & Rockcastle—the architectural firm that will be making recommendations for the expansion of the library—at one of the following community meeting times:

Monday, February 16:

7:00pm at Ames Public Library, 515 Douglas Avenue
Farwell T. Brown Auditorium (Doors open at 6:30pm)

Tuesday, February 17:

10:00am at Green Hills Retirement Community, 2200 Hamilton Drive, Main Dining Room

2:00pm at Northcrest Community, 1801 20th Street
Green Room

For more information, please call (515) 239-5630.

Our Library, Ames' Future.

2009-01-14T09:00:00.000-06:00

"When are you going to build onto the library?" That is the question that I have been asked most often since I arrived in the summer of 2006. At that time, we had acquired the property that sits adjacent to the library with the idea of expansion.

Long time visitors to the library have noticed how book stacks and computers have been crowded into spaces once dedicated to study tables and other activities. In fact, since the library addition was opened in 1985, library usage has increased beyond the expectations that were anticipated during the planning process in the early 1980’s.

This past year, Ames Public Library hired a library planner to assess our needs based on our current activity, projected growth of Ames, and anticipated changes in library usage in the years to come. The end result was a recommendation for a library facility of about 94,000 sq. ft. That will nearly double the existing space of our 48,000 sq. ft. building.

Does a 94,000 sq. ft. building make sense for Ames, a community of approximately 55,000 that is expected to experience modest growth in the next twenty years? By such library measures such as circulation, program attendance, and visitor door counts, the 94,000 sq. ft. recommendation is in the mid-range of libraries with similar performance statistics. Public libraries recently built in university towns of our size have built their public libraries within this scale.

In the coming year we will work with our architect on the location, design, and most importantly, the estimated cost of such a project. The starting point for the location is at the current site or very nearby. As one of the most popular downtown destinations in Ames, we aim to stay here, both for our central location and to preserve the vibrancy of downtown.

We will be communicating the progress of the building planning process, answering your questions, and hearing your concerns. We want this to be an inclusive community process. It will be the most exciting public library project for Ames since 1980, when the planning for the third addition began. Rest assured, we will not build without you.

Art Weeks
Library Director