ICYMI: Scranton Memorial Library Referendum Details: What You Need to Know

MADISON, CT — For more than a decade Madison residents have known that the Scranton Memorial Library is lacking adequate space and now there is a full-fledged plan to address those issues.

Under the direction of Library Director Beth Crowley the addition/expansion project is likely headed toward a referendum on Feb. 7. The library staff have requested a referendum date of Feb. 7 and is working on an approval of that date from the town.

Madison residents will decide whether to borrow up to $9 million to undertake the project. Already, $4.3 million has been raised or donated from residents and the state of Connecticut.

Originally, Crowley said there was talk that the bond request would be around $12 million but due to the generosity of residents and state grants that number has been reduced to $9 million.

The project would increase the library’s square footage from 17,144 to 37,189 square feet if approved.

Crowley said supporters of the project are still fundraising and hope to raise more money in an effort to keep the cost as low as possible for residents. If you’re still interested in donating please call Crowley at 203.245.7365.

Timing

If residents approve the referendum it will take eight months to begin construction. It takes time to plan and secure permits, Crowley said.

Once construction begins it will take between 1 year and 18 months to complete. Crowley said during the construction, the plan is to relocate elsewhere. Where that elsewhere is going to be has not been decided, she said.

If construction were to occur while the library remained at its current location it could take two years to complete, Crowley said.

What the Money is Being Used for

Parking: Currently if you want to utilize the library you need to park on the street. This project would create a 45-50 parking space lot.

There will be a brand new community room, which is a top need, Crowley said.

The book stacks will be lower in an effort to create a better layout and better line of sight. Lower book stacks will also provide better accessibility.

There will be a brand new expanded children’s room.

Library staff will have their own team room.

A new study room will be added so people who want a quiet area can work free of disruptions.

More wireless computers and more computers overall.

More space for teens in the library.

Restoring the original entrance to the library.

The Library is a Busy Place

Each year, there are 100,000 visits to the Scranton Library and there were 420 meetings last year. The demand for meetings by the community is so great that some groups have to be turned away due to a lack of space, and this project addresses that, Crowley said.

Crowley said a lack of space inside and a lack of parking has impacted the library as Madison has lost some people to Guilford and Clinton’s libraries.

*****Information submitted by Crowley regarding the planned renovation/expansion project.

Building Futures. Respecting the Past.

It has been 27 years since our library has been upgraded. In that time, the population of Madison has greatly outstripped our ability to meet the needs of the community whose library usage is consistently above the state average and continues to grow.

At 17,144 square feet for a population of 18,297, the current building is significantly under the State Library Space Planning Guidelines of 1.50 square feet per capita. We are currently at 0.9 square feet per capita, or 10,301 square feet below the guideline. The Futures initiative will fund a 37,189-square-foot library building and improvements designed to enhance …The State guideline is a minimum, this is important as our project will actually be 2.0 per capita.

FUTURES FOR CHILDREN: Our children's services area does not meet current standards for providing early literacy initiatives and programs, and the space layout is awkward and difficult for parents and staff to supervise young children adequately. Due to lack of floor space, bookshelves in this area are too high for access by our young patrons.

There is no separate program room or area for story time. The Futures initiative will provide a dedicated and improved children’s area to address these needs as well as more productive collaboration with area schools.

FUTURES FOR TEENS: The teen department occupies an open, 640-square-foot section of the adult department lacking adequate space for work/study groups and the young adult collection.

The space can only accommodate two wireless computers for teens. The Futures initiative will provide a separated and expanded teen department with a state-of-the-art multi-media room.

FUTURES FOR ADULTS: The lack of physical space for our adult users results in noise issues as it does not separate quiet areas from group study areas.

The Futures initiative will provide sufficient new space to provide a dedicated quiet reading area and three additional group study rooms that can be used for adult learning, such as technology classes, ESL, education for the workforce and more.

FUTURES FOR STAFF: Our administrative work spaces are located in a 939-square-foot interior basement area with poor air circulation and emergency access/exits.

Eight staff members including the Library Director must share this space along with the library's computer server and administrative supply storage. The Futures initiative will allow us to move administrative work areas from the basement to the upper levels and provide more storage space in the basement.

FUTURES FOR COMMUNITY: We have one basement-level, windowless community room that seats 75 and one smaller meeting room that seats 20 to accommodate (in FY 2015-2016) 730 library programs and staff meetings and 420 meetings held by outside community groups.

The Futures initiative will increase meeting capacity with a new 90-seat community room and a new 50-seat meeting room. A new administrative conference room means library staff and board meetings will no longer compete with outside groups for space. Additional floor space will allow for more accessible shelving in all areas. A self-serve “café” offering snacks and beverages will be added as an amenity for library visitors.

FUTURES FOR ACCESS: Currently, the library does not have onsite parking, which creates access issues for our library users, particularly those with mobility issues or those with young children who must cross a busy street and traverse a sloped walkway to enter the building. The Futures initiative will provide onsite parking for 45 cars, and a new, more convenient front entrance located directly off the parking area.

RESPECTING THE PAST: The library sits on a 1.8-acre lot that includes four existing buildings. The original library – designed by Henry Bacon, architect of the Lincoln Memorial – constitutes the main block of the current library. Its entrance along the Boston Post Road will be retained and the structure cleaned and restored. Three adjacent buildings are also historically significant to the development of Madison’s downtown.

One historic building (the old post office) will be moved forward on the property to create a more cohesive streetscape. A two-family residence built in 1984 will be demolished to make room for onsite parking, which will connect directly to the library’s new main entrance.

The façade of the Hull Office Building, a 96-year-old brick-faced structure directly behind the library, will be retained to keep the streetscape as intact as possible.

FINANCING THE FUTURE: The total Futures project cost is $14 million. Based on our current fund raising efforts we plan to ask the Town to approve a bond figure that will be no more than $9 million. Thus far, we have in hand:
• $1 million State Library construction grant.
• $1 million State construction bond.
• $1 million grant from a private foundation.
• $570,050 in Futures campaign pledges.
• $800,000 from donations to the 2008 building project which was not passed.

(Written by Brian McCready. Editor's Note: We first published this story earlier in the week but here it is again in case you missed it).