- Timeline – history and future
See the history of library buildings in Appleton at www.apl.org/libhistory/timeline.asp.
Going forward with a conservative plan:
o 2010 site selection
o 2011 site acquisition
o 2012 architectural schematic design
o 2013 begin construction
o 2014 complete construction
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- How can we afford this?
The real cost estimate is $33 million and we expect that our Friends Foundation will do a capital campaign for a portion of that. Appleton as a city doesn’t do things it can’t afford and we’re conservative about bonding and tax increases.
And there are longterm payoffs in more efficient operations and the many positive economic benefits libraries provide to their communities – as documented in this study http://dpi.wi.gov/pld/econimpact.html
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- How can we afford this considering the economy?
Bad economic times don't mean the problems and needs the library is facing can be put on hold - they actually get worse. In the past we averaged 1500 visitors a day. This year we are averaging 1700 and more. We have broken our all time record twice in the month of June with over 3,000 people coming to visit APL in one day. The community is turning to us in their time of need - job seekers use our computers, retirees extend their savings by checking out books and videos, families spend less on entertainment by attending our programs! We see first hand the effects of the economy every day and we are coping with being one of the resources people rely on for help.
There is no perfect time to plan, but anything we want to do in a few years we would be wise to plan now - tough economic times may provide us with some benefit including more advantageous pricing from contractors.
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- Isn’t expansion cheaper?
Expansion would potentially be somewhat cheaper, but is probably not a better value. Library service concerns are as much about more efficient operations as they are about space. Designing space for our best understanding of current and future needs will better enable us to provide more service at less cost -- for years to come -- than adapting existing space.
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- What about Branches? What about re-purposing empty buildings?
If it were only about space, these would be more useful suggestions, but it’s very much about efficiency. Branches would cost too much to operate, and Appleton is not big enough for this to be cost-effective. This "convenience" comes at a high cost of multiple buildings to heat & cool, duplicated staff functions, extra equipment, additional copies of materials, transportation costs, etc. In 20 years, assuming continued city growth in both population and area, it may well be different. We'll want to look at it again later.
As far as other empty buildings, there would be location, design and structural concerns. The library should be downtown, should be designed to efficiently provide needed services, and should be structurally strong enough to support bookstacks. Libraries have to be built stronger than parking garages.
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- Where will it be?
It’s too soon to say, but it should be part of the downtown, which means not more than a few blocks from the current location. The relatively central location is important, and we don't want to detract from the downtown's vitality by removing a high-traffic destination. We’d like to study this next year.
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- Will we have to pay to park?
Unless we move away from the center of the city, unfortunately paid parking will almost certainly be necessary. It’s simply an issue of supply and demand, as well as making sure that the cost to provide parking is paid by user fees rather than by general property taxes. However we answer this, we know it’s important to have a sufficient quantity of convenient parking for library users. We’re heavily used by senior citizens and parents with toddlers and strollers, so safe and accessible parking is a paramount concern.
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- Why downtown?
The library is a community center and an integral part of a vibrant downtown. Many library visitors make other downtown stops. There are museums, banks, coffee shops, the PAC, the Y, government offices, the farm market, outdoor concerts, the trolley, interesting shops, cool restaurants and accessible mass transit. This is where the library belongs!
Last year's facility needs study, which included two town hall meetings as well as focus groups, interviews, electronic and print surveys, indicated that Appleton citizens strongly favored that the library remain downtown.
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- What about OWLS? What is their role in this?
OWLS is a tenant in the building and pays rent which the Library gives the City as revenue. In any change to the building, presumably the rent will be renegotiated. APL is one of 16 libraries which are members of OWLS, which provides services to member libraries.
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- How is this different from other city buildings?
While all City of Appleton facilities are used to provide services to the community, in many ways library service is the library building. We're not just a city building, we're a public building.
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- Why don’t you charge for materials or services to raise money?
Two reasons: first, it's illegal and second, it's a very bad idea. Wisconsin law does not permit charges for any basic library services, including borrowing materials, attending programs and getting answers to questions. This is a good law, because public libraries, once known as "the people's university", are all about leveling the playing field and creating equal learning and cultural activities for everyone.
As Walter Cronkite said: "Whatever the cost of our libraries, the price is cheap compared to that of an ignorant nation." We agree with Thomas Jefferson's statement "A democratic society depends upon an informed and educated citizenry." That doesn't mean just selected people or wealthy people. It means everyone. Everyone has the right to learn what they want to learn and make up their own minds. Fees for service would impose barriers, and barriers to learning, personal growth, and free inquiry are wrong.
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- Why don’t we just use neighboring libraries?
The main reason is that the library is a community center for our city. This is our busiest public building, one of the most heavily used buildings in the city. The people of Appleton can't really have a community center in a neighboring city any more than our downtown could be in a neighboring city.
In fact, Appleton residents do use neighboring libraries, and in fairly large numbers. But good government means that each municipality will meet the needs of residents, not just take advantage of their neighbors. Neenah, Menasha and Little Chute have all built libraries more recently than Appleton. Would the taxpayers of Appleton like it any better if the argument in those communities had just been to use Appleton's library instead? We'd feel taken advantage of. We take care of ourselves and pay our fair share.
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- Just build out over the parking lot and build walkways to the ramps – aren’t the ramps empty?
The East Ramp (located along Franklin Street next to the Valley Transit station) is far from empty. According to the manager of Public Works' Parking division, there are 1200 parking spots in the ramp and 1050 permits have been sold for it this year. During the school year when Lawrence University students also buy permits for the ramp, floors 1 - 6 are typically full and floor 7 is one-half to three-quarters full. During the summer, floors 1-6 are typically full and floor 7 is open. Many library staff can attest to having to drive up to floors 5 and 6 on a regular basis in order to park for work. The Avenue Ramp, located behind the City Center along Appleton Street, actually faced a waiting list at the beginning of 2009 comprised of people who wanted to purchase parking permits. In July of 2009, there are now only about 5 permits available to be sold. The Avenue Ramp also has 80 non-permit spots available, and on a typical day about 20 spots sit open in that ramp.
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- Don’t most people just use the internet these days? Why do you need space now?
The use of the library is increasing each year. Currently 50,000 residents of Appleton have library cards out of a population of 72, 287 and 1700 people visit the library each day. The hours that the public access internet computers are used for job searching, research for papers, etc is also increasing. The use of public access computers has increased 40% from 2008 to 2009. The Appleton Library is also serving as a community destination for learning and sharing with use of the library meeting rooms up 8% over 2008.
More institutions (governments and others) are offering services online, which means a significant group of people who cannot afford computers or Internet access will be excluded from full participation in society. The library's public access computers with internet fill the gap for people of limited income who nonetheless need access to the government, job and service sites.
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- Will this building be green?
Yes. The design and construction of the building, whether new or remodeled, will definitely incorporate "green" design. This will involve care on many levels from choices in carpeting using recycled materials, to appliances having a Gold Star label, to choosing lumber from manufacturers that employ "green" practices such as planting a tree for each one cut down. As well, any new or remodeled building would employ energy saving devices from motion sensitive light switches to energy efficient fluorescent bulbs and ballasts to energy efficient HVAC controls.
Even the earliest and most preliminary of building designs already incorporate environmentally friendly and useful features from "daylight harvesting" to the presence of additional bike racks. A similar goal for the new or renovated building is to be LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified at the "silver" level at least. While LEED certification standards remains fluid and subject to revision, it is a priority for both State and City buildings to achieve this level of environmental design.
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- How does Appleton compare in size to other libraries?
At 86,600 square feet, the Appleton Public Library has less space per capita than other area libraries. APL has 1.20 square feet per capita, while Oshkosh Public Library has 1.27, Menasha Public Library is at 1.41, Manitowoc Public Library has 1.53, Fond du Lac Public Library is at 1.66 and Neenah Public Library has 1.81. Waupaca is far ahead of all these libraries with 3.98 square feet per capita, over three times as much as Appleton.
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- What will be so much better in this building?
- • more efficient operations
• increased access to meeting rooms
• more study/conference rooms
• increased accessibility for special needs
• more flexibility for future changes in library services and technology
The proposed building program will meet demand for more public space and improved access to library materials. The building will have an improved layout with more space for the public to enjoy library materials and conduct their own activities, including quiet reading room. This improved layout will allow for more efficient operations of library operations, including an automated circulation system that will provide faster checkout/check-in of library materials while decreasing staff time in doing so. A drive-through will increase convenience and save time in returning or picking up materials. The added library space will allow more public access to library meeting/conference rooms outside of normal library hours, more study rooms for the public to conduct research (the library currently has only 3 study rooms), and more computer terminals to meet the current high demand for Internet access.
The building will use library space more efficiently, allowing personalized areas for children, teens, adults, and those with special needs, as well as library staff, which will decrease staffing needs, improve library services to the community and allow more flexibility for future changes in library services and technology.
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- How can I help?
Become a part of the solution! Advocate for the library. Contact the press (letter to the editor), talk with your alderperson, your friends, work associates and neighbors and speak-up for the library. Join the Friends of Appleton Library (FOAL) and get involved. Attend and support fundraising activities as they relate to this project. Become familiar with the information on the proposed new building by reading the architect's report available on the APL website, and then spread the word. Always feel free to contact library administration and share your thoughts and opinions on this proposal, and ask any questions you have about it with us...we're happy to have this ongoing dialogue with members of the community!
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