cip presentation 8.2010

Wadleigh Memorial Library

Addition & Renovation Project

CIP Presentation 8.2010

The Need

Current facility: 1950 building with 1986 addition. Neither renovated since built.

Main 1950 structure designed more than ½ a century ago; before computers, libraries used much differently.

1986 addition designed to work with original building, accommodate population of 12,000, last approximately 20 years.

Between 1980 & 1990, Milford’s population increased by 36% and reached 12,000 residents far sooner than forecast.

Since our ’86 addition Town population has increased approximately 42% to 15,600. Library usage has increased 232%.

From 75,000 checkouts to a quarter million. We’re serving 30% more people than design capacity. Usage is outpacing population 5:1. 3500-4000 people walk through our doors each week.

We have the 2nd highest circulation per capita in the state among towns with populations 15,000+.

We’re smaller, but busier than NH’s urban libraries. Manchester is 8x bigger; we check out 3x as many items. Nashua is 3x bigger; we check out 2x as many items.

The Need

What does this translate to?

Workflow in central areas prevents efficiency. Delays in service. Waitlists for children’s programs. Frequent lines 3-4 people deep at both stations to

check out. Lines for the bathrooms (and subsequent accidents). No quiet space for studying or reading. “Roaming” teens. Groups turned away from meeting rooms. Not enough parking spots. Safety issues.

What have we done so far?

We’ve planned ahead On town CIP for 15 years—since 1995. Purchased 2 adjacent properties for

expansion purposes: 39 Nashua Street in 1999 91 Nashua Street in 2001 (pd by Trustees)

Since our initial appearance on the CIP in 1995, the library project has been pushed back on at least 6 separate occasions.

Made expensive upgrades to reduce financial impact of renovation project Replaced boiler ($10k) Replaced flat portions of roof ($50k) Replaced half of carpeting ($17k-Trustee $) Upgraded HVAC system ($50k) Replaced furnishings in ¾ of the public areas ($50k—Trustee $)

Commissioned an Expansion Feasibility Study and conceptual drawings from architectural firm specializing in public libraries throughout New England.


Commissioned a formal Needs Assessment from a professional Library Building Consultant.

Created a teen space where none existed. Created a comfortable lobby/sitting space. Relocated & expanded the periodical area. Revamped reference space & added wireless

access and more public computers.


Project entered & selected for Young Architects Design Contest by the NH chapter of American Institute of Architects. Resulted in 5 sets of pro bono conceptual designs. Winner has offered pro bono design services.

Building Steering Committee formed. Commissioned a structural engineer to determine

vertical expansion possibilities with requisite drawings.

Commissioned architects in space planning for current building footprint.

…nearly all at no cost to taxpayers.


Our options?

Pursue the project as described in previous CIPs Pros

Construction & renovation will be done all at once. Public & staff will be in a construction zone for one defined

period of time. Wouldn’t need to worry about future inflation of construction

costs for later phases—get more for our money.

Cons Project will likely have to wait. The more time passes, the more inflation increases cost. Possibility of needing to close building or restrict

services/access for part of construction.

Our options?

Pursue phased approach Pros

Could increase workflow efficiencies in current building. Smaller financial impacts rather than one larger one. Greater likelihood of remaining open to public.

Cons Gamble whether or not taxpayers will approve several

different bonds/warrants for multiple phases over many years? (“you just had an addition.”)

Public & staff will have to deal with multiple, intermittent construction zones over several years.

Work spaces/collections will need to be shifted to accommodate construction/renovation.

And the finished product?

Expanded Children’s Room with its own service desk, bathroom, craft & storytime areas.

Expanded Young Adult space. Quiet reading areas and study rooms. Large meeting room w/kitchenette & bathroom

facilities for after hours access, capacity for 125-150. Better handicapped accessibility. More parking spaces for library & downtown. Safer street entrance/egress. Efficient workflow. Happier patrons & staff!

Are public libraries really that important?

In a recent study in Wisconsin, 30% of patrons surveyed indicated that while visiting their library, they spent an average of $25 they would not have otherwise spent at area businesses. If 30% of Wadleigh’s nearly 200,000 visits in 2009 resulted

in just $10 being spent downtown, it would have generated $1.4 million in revenue for our local economy just last year.

We attract thousands of people downtown each week… without competing with local businesses.


We offer: A safe place for teens & kids. Access to current technology & assistance in how to use it. Educational, cultural and entertaining programs for all ages. Tutoring for immigrants trying to learn English. Excellent resources in all formats. Home & in-house access to cost-prohibitive databases. Tax assistance & access to government forms. Wireless internet and computer access. A convenient location for public events and meetings. A friendly, knowledgeable staff—several with post-graduate

degrees in Information & Library Studies—to help patrons navigate resources to find what they need.

Contrary to popular belief, computers are not the end of libraries. Public libraries began to add computers to their

operations & services in the mid 1980s. Since then, our usage has not declined but increased by

a whopping 230% (an average of 10% each year since 1986).

Computers have only enhanced our services.

“My guess is [it will be] about 300 years until computers are as good as, say, your local reference library in search.”—Craig Silverstein, Director of Technology, Google.com


The Economic Contribution of Wisconsin Public Libraries to the Economy of Wisconsin http://dpi.wi.gov/pld/pdf/wiimpactsummary.pdf

Library Use Calculator http://www.nhlibrarians.org/calculator.html

Nashua Regional Planning Commission http://www.nashuarpc.org/communities/milford.htm

New Hampshire-AIA Design Contest Entries http://aianhyac.webs.com/o8entries.htm

State of New Hampshire Community Profiles http://www.nh.gov/nhes/elmi/htmlprofiles/milford.html

References & Resources