The Spooner Memorial Library is pursuing a building renovation and expansion project, supported by their strong 109-year history

Read the Campaign Readiness Study Report

Supporting the Community’s Growing Need

As of today, two space needs assessments have been completed and both suggest that the library should be at least 20,000 to 22,000 square feet (compared to the current 5,500 square feet) in order to meet the library’s and the community’s current and future requirements.

Following the assessment results, a feasibility study was conducted by Short Elliot Hendrickson Inc (SEH) to research the feasibility of keeping the library in its current location, with an addition. The results of that assessment concluded that staying in the existing location and expanding would be the community’s best choice. It’s a central location for the city and within walking distance for many community members. A Campaign Readiness Study was conducted since then, see results below.

Gearing up for a Capital Campaign

We are excited to share the results of our recent Campaign Readiness Study! Your support and input have been invaluable in this process, and we’re eager to reveal the findings that will shape our future fundraising efforts.

The full Campaign Readiness Report can be viewed at https://spoonerlibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/SML-CRS-Report.pdf.

Key findings from 220 community members through public surveys, confidential 1:1 interviews, and focus groups show the proposed campaign has merit, is justifiable, and has the leadership ability and financial capacity to fundraise an adjusted capital campaign goal of $2.5-3.5M over a 10-12 month timeframe. Results show that there is a significant passion for the library and all it has to offer. Overall, community members see the definite need for more space, especially the need for more meeting and program space.

Community feedback suggested the following changes to the proposed building plan, mostly due to the projected cost of the project: Doubling instead of tripling the size of the library, an alternative location, and a smaller budget. The grant was submitted and includes plans for an 11,000 square foot library at an alternative location with a campaign goal (beyond the grant) of $3.5 million dollars.

Our proposed Capital Campaign will take a short pause until October as we await notification on our $4.25 million dollar application for Wisconsin’s Flexible Facilities grant. But, rest assured we are still working hard to plan for the exciting future of the Library.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to this important study. Together, we’re building a stronger future for our library and community!

How You Can Support the Project