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PART IV PROGRAM NARRATIVE The City of San Marcos is served by a single 12,264 square foot library which was constructed in 1966. Though originally designed to house a collection of 30,000 books, the library now houses over 47,500 items including a wide variety of audio- visual materials and equipment, computer hardware and software, maps and local history materials. Each new variety of materials added to the collection has re- quired special shelving and space allocations. Likewise, library services have expanded over the years to include literacy and GED tutoring, income tax assistance, and an active program of leisure learning for both adults and children. Again, each new service offered by the library puts a special demand on our limited space. In addition to growth in ~hese two areas, the library staff has increased in size from three people in 1967 to fourteen people (9.5 FTE's) in 1986. As a result, the library is now faced with a critical shortage of work space, shelving space and reader space. One of the needs identified in the City of San Marcos Masterplan was the need to expand the physical facilities of the library. I n April 1984 the community took an important first step towards meeting that need by voting in favor of selling $450,000 in general obligation bonds for library improvements. At that time, we believed it would be possible to expand the existing library facility at 310 West Hutchison Street in downtown San Marcos. Since then a structural engineering study has shown that the existing facility is incapable of supporting a second story which is loaded with bookstacks. (It is possible for the building to support a second story devoted to offices, meeting rooms, etc.) The existing site is also limited for expansion pur- poses because it is severely lacking in parking facilities. Current plans provide for selling the existing facility and constructing an entirely new 25,000 square-foot central library on East Hopkins Street across from City Hall. The 25,000 square-foot facility will be designed to serve a population of up to 50,000 people in accordance with the Wheeler and Goldhor space standard for public libraries of .5 square feet per capita. * The new facility will be 12,736 square feet larger than the existing facility and will be designed so that it can be readily ex- panded to serve a growing population. It is the city's intention to fund the construction by applying for $200,000 in LSCA, Title II, funds and matching this with $450,000 in revenue generated by the sale of general obligation bonds and $1,085,000 in revenue generated by the sale of our existing facility and land. The availability of federal funds will make it possible to increase the scope of our building project to meet space standards for our current population of 33,084 as well as the 50,000 people we anticipate serving ten years from now. Use of federal funds will also make it possible for the library to hire a library building consultant and to furnish the new library, thus insuring that the city will have a high quality, fully usable library upon completion of the project.