Teton County Library Director’s Blog

Patrons broke the record book last Wednesday, June 11 when nearly 2,000 people came to the library that day!  That’s 400 more people than have ever walked through the library’s doors in one day in the past.

I know part of the reason was that it was the first day of the Summer Reading Program for children, teens and adults.  Still, there were more people in the library that day  than ever before.  Then Wednesday’s record attendance was followed by a close second for the record books with Thursday’s door count hitting 1,796.

Those records are two more mile posts of the significant growth the library has seen since opening its doors in the current building over a decade ago.  It’s been more noticeable this past year when the increases in monthly attendance have been 25 - 40 % more than the previous year.

It’s wonderful to be so well loved by the community, whether it’s children lining up to participate in the Summer Reading Program or adults using the library’s treasure trove of electronic resources.  The growing demand for library resources serves to highlight the need for more room for collections, study areas, a dedicated teen space and programs.

The Library Board is planning ahead for those community needs with a proposed addition to the main library facility.  The starting point for those plans is the design phase.  The Library will be on the Town - County SPET (special purpose excise tax) ballot on August 19 to secure funds for architectural plans as well as technology and “green building” consulting for an addition on the site of the current library.  The SPET ballot allows voters to choose specific projects for funding through the 6th cent of sales tax revenues.  A wide variety of community projects have been funded through the 6th cent of sales tax, including the Recreation Center, Teton County Middle School and High School, Pathways, St. John’s Nursing Home and the library.

I look forward to seeing you in the library this summer.  When you come in, would you please stop by and ask any questions you may have about the library’s future plans?

Deb

It’s official.  At 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 14, the County Commissioners will officially close on the purchase of the land from S.t Francis of the Tetons Episcopal Church for the future Alta Branch Library.  The timing is perfect as the Alta Branch Library hosts a celebration of its 40 plus years of partnership with the Alta Elementary School that day.  I’m looking forward to the library’s continued service to the school and the community.  I think we’re off to a good start for the next stage.

 Deb

I’m delighted to let you know that the library now has an answer for the short-term for library services to the Alta community. After careful consideration of the options, the Teton County Library Board voted on Thursday, April 24 to purchase a used bookmobile as the interim solution for Alta Branch Library services. I really think a bookmobile makes the most sense in terms of being a cost-effective means to keeping library services alive, even as we stay focused on the long-term picture of getting a new branch library built.

Library staff is now busy working out the many details of moving into this operation. I am in communication with the school district to officially request permission to locate and operate the bookmobile on school property. Branch Manager Gretchen Notzold and I are looking at the options for programming. Facilities Manager Dail Barbour and IT Manager Mark Abetz are digging into the logistics of power, phone, insurance, and moving, to name a few of the details. Our goal is to be operational shortly after we have to move out of the school classroom. No official date has yet been set for being up and running in the bookmobile.

For those of you with a little history in rural areas, here’s your opportunity to re-experience some of the nostalgia of childhood. And for the younger generations, here’s your opportunity to get a hands-on experience with a little piece of history. Stay tuned, I think it’s going to be a fun “ride” as we prepare for the building of the new Alta Branch Library.

Deb

I was in a series of meetings yesterday to learn about and map out a path to resolve a little bump in the road that the County has encountered with respect to closing on the purchase of the land for the Alta Branch Library. During the normal process for title insurance, the County learned that there is a glitch with having the necessary access to the property. This is a solvable problem and it will take us just a little extra time to work through the details. The County Attorney’s office has already made contact with St. Francis and they have readily agreed to a two month extension while we work this out. The County remains committed to purchasing the land.

If you want to hear more about county road widths and easements, I’m happy to give you the nitty gritty. I would just like to emphasize that this is only a little bump in the road, the legal details are easily solvable and we are still moving ahead with purchase of the land.

I also learned this week that the County will be submitting the Alta Branch Library on its list of capital projects for State Land Investment Board funding next month. Even though it will be several months until the County receives the money, I think this is great news since it helps to set the library up for moving ahead with construction in 2009.

Deb

P.S.  I should probably temper my unrelenting optimism about the SLIB submission with a realistic note that things always take longer than expected whenever more than one agency is involved.  Still, I’m pretty hopeful about the potential.

I’ll be at the Alta Branch Library from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 1 and Thursday, April 3 to chat with Alta community members and library patrons about their thoughts and suggestions for an interim solution for the branch library.  I will answer any questions that I can about our research and requirements for the short-term.  I plan to share information about the options for a short-term solution at the April 24 Library Board meeting.  I’m hoping that a decision can be made at that meeting so that library staff can move forward with planning for the move.  There are many details that will need to be worked out, no matter which option is selected.  As the library gets close to the moving date, I think this could be a good opportunity for interested community members to pitch in and help get us from point A to point B.

I would also like to see a celebration of the 40 plus year relationship the Alta School and Alta Library have had in serving the library needs of the community.  It’s been a wonderful and unique partnership that deserves special recognition.  Branch Manager Gretchen Notzold and I will be talking about how and when that should happen.  Maybe there’s someone out there who would love to help plan a party?  Let us know.

If you are not able to make one of the Drop In Sessions, please feel encouraged to fill out one of the comment sheets at the library to share your ideas or post a comment here or send me an email

 See you next week.

Deb (dadams@tclib.org)

I continue to hear suggestions for possible short-term solutions for the Alta Branch Library.  I appreciate having so many thinking caps working on this.  It has been suggested that the Library could create a “cheat sheet” for the ADA and County public facilities requirements that need to be met.  I want to be sure that I provide you with the best information, so let me direct you to the primary sources.  First, the Department of Justice’s website on the Americans with Disabilities Act (www.ada.gov) has an excellent publication on “ADA Standards for Accessible Design.”  Page 62 of that publication outlines the specifics for libraries.  Second, Teton County has adopted both building codes and fire codes that apply to residential, commercial and institutional uses.  The Planning Department has developed a helpful checklist for anyone looking to submit a building permit application.  You can view this checklist, along with links to pertinent County regulations, at http://www.tetonwyo.org/plan/nav/200088.asp.

Meanwhile, keep passing on your ideas to Facilities Manager Dail Barbour (dbarbour@tclib.org) or to me (dadams@tclib.org).

Thanks!  Deb

Kudos to the Wyoming State Legislature for continuing to support libraries across the state through the “Public Library Endowment Challenge Program!”  I’m excited for all public libraries in Wyoming that will get a real boost in funding to establish their own foundations.  Those endowments can help secure the long-term future of Wyoming libraries.  I know what an incredible benefit Teton County citizens have gained from our library’s partnership with the Teton County Library Foundation.  Library patrons have enjoyed a wide range of enhancements from free talks by Pulitzer Prize-winning authors to special Summer Reading presenters to public access technology, and the list goes on.  I wish those same opportunities for all residents of Wyoming through their library foundations.

To learn more about the Public Library Endowment Challenge, you may read about it in the Wyoming Library Association’s newsletter at http://will.state.wy.us/slpub/outrider/2008/Mar2008.pdf.

And three cheers to our state senators and representatives for seeing the long-term outcomes of this funding for libraries!

Deb

I learned yesterday that Teton County School District cannot extend the lease for the Alta Branch Library’s use of the classroom in the Alta Elementary School.  The school has reached a critical point where it must have every inch of its facility to serve the needs of its students.  They simply have no choice in order to comply with applicable laws.  School Superintendent Pam Shea has graciously offered the library use of the classroom through the end of July 2008 so that the library’s Summer Reading Program for children may run its full course.  Meanwhile, library leaders are ramping up their research on interim solutions to continue library services through the period between moving out of the school and into a new facility.  The Library Board and staff are also looking to set up a community meeting in Alta within the next two weeks to share information and listen to suggestions for an interim solution.  Information about that community meeting will be posted in the Teton Valley News, community fliers and on the library’s web site at www.TCLib.org.

I think it’s important for us to collectively focus on the fact that whatever interim solution is put into place, it will be for a short time.  The Library Board and County Commissioners have already committed to building a new library facility in Alta.  And the Commissioners have backed up that commitment with purchase of land from St. Francis of the Tetons which is set to be completed next month.  Next, the Library Board and Commissioners need to firm up the timing of the funds for construction of a new library.  Certainly, the necessity of having to move out of the classroom puts a little more pressure on all entities to move forward as efficiently as possible towards the long-term facility for Alta.

Short-term options identified by the staff and board include a bookmobile and leasing space at another site.  Library Facilities Manager Dail Barbour is on a national email listserv where she receives up-to-date information about bookmobiles for sale and lease.  She is following up on the options for a temporary location for the library.  Dail and I have heard from many library supporters who have offered up a variety of spaces in Alta for the library and I encourage people to keep sharing ideas.  Someone may have a solution that meets the library’s requirements for a public building and we just haven’t been made aware of it yet.

With respect to construction of the new branch library, Dail has communicated with the County Planning Department about setting up a pre-application meeting in March for the property in Alta.  This is where she will gather information about site requirements like access, parking, septic & water systems, and landscaping. With that information in hand, Dail can finish gathering the estimates for construction of a new branch in Alta.  Then we can talk with the Commissioners about funding and timelines.  I’m hoping that workshop can occur in April.

The Alta community has benefitted for many years from its partnership with the Teton County School District to house a branch of the Teton County Library in the Alta Elementary School.  I think it is really a tribute to the staff of both organizations that this collaboration has worked so well for so long.  I would especially like to recognize the efforts of the visionary individuals who founded the Alta Branch Library early on.  Their dedication to library services for their community is a high ideal that I look forward to continuing for the Alta community.

Deb

The County Commissioners and Town Council have approved placing an item for planning and design money for expansion of the main Library on the November 2008 SPET  ballot.  This important step keeps the Library moving forward in its efforts to meet the long-term needs of the community for library services as described in the 2007 Needs Assessment.  This is especially critical when each month an additional 4,000 -  6,000 people are walking through the doors compared to last year.  I’m thrilled to see so much use of the library.  At the same time, I want to ensure that people continue to find the resources and spaces they need when they come here.

The next steps for the Alta Branch Library are in the works.  The County anticipates closing on purchase of 1.5 acres of land from St. Francis of the Tetons Church on April 15, 2008.  Library staff will be meeting with the County Planning Department to determine the permitting requirements for building on that site.  This includes requirements for parking, access road, septic and water systems, and landscaping.  That information will make it easier for library staff to gather the additional estimates needed to provide the County Commissioners with a better picture of overall costs.  Then I can set up a workshop with the Commissioners to get an idea of their funding timeline for the project. The bidding and construction phases will depend on that timeline.  The Library Board is well aware of the existing deadline from the school district to vacate the school classroom by June 30, 2008.  I am still awaiting word from the school district about the possibility of getting an extension.  Meanwhile, I have discussed with the Library Board the options available if the school district is not able to grant additional time.  The goal will be to ensure continued library services for the Alta community.

 Deb

The Commissioners will execute the buy/sell agreement for purchase of the land in Alta for the branch library at their February 12 meeting.  This official action has been pending the completion of a survey of the property.

At the February 21 Library Board meeting, I will be asking the Board to direct the Library Foundation to begin accepting gifts towards this purchase of land.  I know that many people in Alta have pledged their support for this purpose and the Foundation is preparing to accept those donations.

I have been in contact with Teton County School Superintendent Pam Shea about the library’s deadline for moving out of the school classroom.  I don’t yet have anything concrete to report in that area.  I’ll let you know when I have more information.

I’ve heard that there is interest from the community in being involved in the building process for the new Alta Branch Library.  Right now, library staff are researching possibilities for public input and involvement that will fit with the County’s requirements.  That information will be presented to the Library Board for their consideration.

Deb