Building Project
Building Project Updates
Building Project Update January 2023
After some hopeful months, our dreams of moving the library to the old clinic building have come to an end. At the December City Finance Meeting, it was determined that the cost of operation would be far too high, making this location not feasible. The City made it...
FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions
Why doesn’t the current building work?
- Limited accessible parking, parking situation dangerous in the Winter
- Limited accessible shelving, books are too high and too low for patrons to access and spacing between shelving units fulfill the minimum ADA requirements
- Lack of green space
- No designated program space
- Crack in the wall (children’s side)
- Limited community engagement space
- No meeting space for more than 2 people
- No space to hold meetings, community forums, or go into closed sessions (anything done in closed session can be heard outside of the room)
- No designated quiet/study space
- No designated teen space
- No storage space and what storage space is available (above Director’s office) is difficult and dangerous to access
- Circulation area not accessible for patrons in wheelchairs or to children
- Not enough staff work space
- Not enough space for Library of Things collection
- Compassion Kitchen food resource storage is not easily accessible for staff when restocking
- No space to store and create outreach materials
- No exit for staff in office should an active shooter come into the library
- View of library obstructed by high shelving causing a risk of theft
- No separation of children’s and teen book collections
- No movable shelving
What would the library be able to do in a new building that the current space cannot accommodate now?
- Add to our collection, including our Library of Things
- Reach more individuals in need through the Compassion Kitchen and outreach programs
- Provide community meeting space that is accessible until 8:00 p.m. Monday-Thursday
- Host larger events without obstructing access to the library’s collection
- Provide more study space and quiet space for the community to work from the library
- Provide more space for community organizations to share their resources
- Provide a designated makerspace, providing opportunities to the community that they wouldn’t have otherwise
- Provide more outdoor programs where patrons can come into the library afterwards
- Storage extra chairs and program materials
- Move shelving to accommodate various programs
- Have a designated, safe teen space
- Provide better access to materials, parking, and seating
- Provide more comfortable and accessible seating options
- Partner with organizations in the same building, eliminating the barrier of transportation
- Allow staff to have designated workspace allowing for a more efficient workflow
Why is greenspace important?
- Outdoor learning opportunities are important for all ages
- Greenspace allows for an interchangeable StoryWalk onsite
- Greenspace allows for outdoor programming without limiting access to the library
- Greenspace provides the community a peaceful place to gather and connect
- Greenspace provides the community with a safer place to gather
- Greenspace allows the library to expand its programming options
Why do we need a bigger library when we have the internet?
- Three-quarters of the library’s checkouts are for print/physical materials
- More and more community members are working remotely
- Many properties in this area do not have access to fast or affordable internet
- The library is a place that helps community members maneuver and adapt through constant tech challenges and changes
- The library provides a place for community members to connect safely online
- Community is people, people need a communal space to connect
- The library is the only place in the community where people of all ages are engaged
- Print materials are not dead, nor will they ever be
- The library is the community’s only place that provides affordable, accessible printing, scanning, faxing, and tech support
What would it cost? What funding does the library have now compared to how much it would need?
- The library is working with SEH (architect) to determine an estimated cost to remodel the old clinic
- The library needs City of Spooner’s support to offer GAP financing to secure the property
- The library needs City of Spooner’s support to provide an additional $40,000 annually to support additional cost of operation
- The library currently has $50,000 to provide cost of operation support during the campaign
- The library has very supportive patrons who have already said they would support the campaign
How can I support the project?
- Share library stories and interest in the project
- Provide media coverage of support for the project
- Join the campaign committee
- Give money, stocks, charitable donations to the library (421 High Street, Spooner, WI 54801)
- Attend City Council meetings to express support for this project
Is the library collecting community suggestions for the space?
- The library will host community sessions once the project is approved and plans are written
- The library will provide many outlets for community members to provide suggestions for the space
- Community members are welcome now to express what isn’t working with the current library (director@spoonerlibrary.org)
Donations
Give money, stocks, charitable donations to the library.
Please drop off or mail a check to to the library below with a note that you would like to donate to the building project.
Spooner Memorial Library
421 High Street
Spooner, WI 54801
Support the Project
- Follow the library on social media to stay up to date
- Subscribe to the Library Newsletter
- Provide media coverage of support for the project by sharing social media posts and newsletters
- Share your library stories and interest in the project with librarians
- Join the campaign committee
- Give money, stocks, charitable donations to the library
- Attend City Council meetings to express support for this project
Spooner Memorial Library
421 High Street
Spooner, WI 54801
Phone: 715.635.2792
Fax: 715.635.2147