Res 1987-044 - Laserfiche WebLink

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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. l11ough originally designed to house a collection of 30,000 books, the library now houses over 52,200 items including a wide variety of audiovisual materials and equipment, computer hardware and software, maps and local history materials. Each new variety of materials added to the collection has required special shelving and space allocations. Likewise, library services have expanded over the years to include literacy and GEO tutoring, income tax assistance, and an active program of leisure learning for both adults and children. Again, each new service offered by the library creates a special demand on our limited space. In addition to growth in these two areas, the library staff has increased in size from three people in 1967 to fourteen people (9.8 FTE's) in 1987. As a result the library is now facing 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. In April 1984 the community took an important first step toward 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 I imited for expansion purposes because it is severely lacking in available parking space. Our plans now 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 expanded to serve a growing population. The City of San Marcos is committed to obtaining funds for the library building project and has stated this commitment in the attached City Council resolution. Funds for the project will come from a variety of sources. The primary source of funding will be revenue generated by the sale of general obligation bonds. $450,000 of bond funding has already been approved and another bond election on this issue is being planned for the early part of 1988. In addition to bond funding, the City is applying for a $200,000 LSCA Title II grant as well as grants from several private foundations. A final source of funding will be the sale of the existing library building and property. The availability of LSCA federal funds and building consulting services from the Texas State Library will help to insure that we build a high-quality, well- designed facility that will meet not only our current needs but the future requirements of our rapidly growing city.