Oneida Public Library Home Page

Creating New Connections
What the Oneida Public Library
Will Look Like in 2014

The architect's view of the New Library's main entrance, facing Main Street, on the New Library's site at 456 Elizabeth Street and Main, as featured in the Architect Showcase in the special Library Journal architecural issue Nov. 15. 2012 (Holmes King Kallquist & Associates, Syracuse, N.Y.)

Seen from Elizabeth Street, the New Library's design offers an open, one-floor structure, with easy access and adjacent parking.
(Holmes King Kallquist & Associates)

Site plan shows the position of the New Library building facing east towards Elizabeth Street (to right)and facing west towards Main Street (to left). (Holmes King Kallquist & Associates)

The one-floor New Library with 18,000 square feet of space, as shown here in the floor plan, will include a spacious Main Room for the collection and patrons and a Community Room with a seating capacity of 100-125.

Capital Campaign
Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the new building and expansion necessary?
In these trying economic times more and more people turn to our Library for a variety of services. Whether online job searches, Internet access or a wide variety of print and digital media, the Library provides free services for all members of the public. Library usage has continued to grow every year, especially in computer and internet usage. In 2011,

> An average of 250 people a day used the library; 72,389 people visited the library.
> Nearly 107,000 books, magazines and videos were checked out, a 4% increase over 2010
> Nearly 22,923 people used the 14 Library public access computers, and over 1,400 laptop and device users took advantage of our free public Wi-Fi.
> At many times, the demand for computer usage is limited only by the number of computers available.
> 8,750 people attended adult and children’s programs in 2011.
> Workshops, seminars and community activities are limited in size due to a lack of appropriate space.

What’s wrong with the old Library building?
For many years, the facility at 220 Broad Street has been able to cope with rising demands for services. In fact, it has hindered the delivery of many services that the Library provides the community. For example:

> The building’s layout limits staff supervision of patrons;
> The 1954 building wasn’t built with the handicapped in mind, and the overcrowding of the collection and the use of both floors limits accessibility for the elderly and parents with very young children;
> Lack of program space limits the number and attendance size of Library programs and community meetings;
> The building’s infrastructure does not allow for cost effective integration of advances in technology, electronic communication and energy efficiency;
> There are limited spaces available for recreation reading, study, tutoring and class instruction; and
> Parking near the building is inadequate, especially during peak hours and popular programming.

Expansion is not possible on the existing lot without eating up the parking lot. Building upward would require structural supports that are not cost effective. And the building, with its three floors, would still not be fully accessible to the handicapped without extensive modification.

What will be added to the Library? What is the Library’s plan?
The new Library building will provide the Library with a 214% increase in square footage. There will be 18,000 sq. ft. in a one-story building. More space will make hosting very popular programs and large community gatherings possible. In addition to traditional library services, new activities and programming options for children, teens, adults, and seniors will be developed.

The architect's design for the new library focuses on:

> Designing a completely handicapped accessible building
> More space for programs, meetings, workshops and activities
> A community room that will hold a minimum of 100 people and is open to the public seven days a week, whether or not the Library is opened
> Space for more computers
> Increased parking
> More space for quiet, recreational reading, tutoring and exhibits

Will the Library have more books in the new library? In today’s electronic world, does the Library even need more books?
Even as the popularity of audiobooks and eBooks rises, the Library will continue to acquire new books that its patrons want or need, whether they be hardbound, paperback or large type. The demand for books locally remains very strong. In 2011 alone, the Library loaned out to its patrons, both adults and children, 51,047 books. So, the Library must continue to offer all types of print and digital media to the public; from traditional books to the latest innovation in eBooks. The reading public demands it.

Will there be more computers in the new Library?
Yes, eventually. With the added space, the Library will be able to house more public computers to satisfy public demand.

Will the larger Library require more staff?
Planning of the new building is underway, and staffing is a major component of that planning. For instance, the new building’s open, one-floor design will not only radically improve the Library’s handicapped accessibility, public safety and security, it will also minimize the need for additional staff members. New technology will be incorporated that will also keep down staffing requirements. The Library’s commitment to providing the best personal patron service is also a basic principle in the planning.

Will individuals or groups be able to use or rent the planned Community Room for meetings and events?
Yes. The new Community Room, with a planned sitting capacity of 100 people, is meant to be a community resource for organization meetings and classes, theatrical and musical performances and private events. Details are being worked out now.

How much is this project expected to cost?
The project, including all soft costs and fees, is projected to cost just over $5 million dollars. This will include construction costs and all costs necessary to make the building eligible for LEED Certification. Final details of the project budget are being completed. Funding will come from a blend of a various sources:

> A capital campaign run by community volunteers who will seek contributions from individuals, businesses and corporations
> Local and Regional foundations
> Government grants

No funds from the Library’s current operating budget will be used for the project.

I already pay an annual Library tax. Why should I contribute to the New Library Capital Campaign?
An active, growing library is as important to a community as law enforcement and fire protection, health care services, public schools and civic and charitable organizations. For one, it can be an economic stimulus. A good library is a community asset that has proven appeal to families and businesses thinking about moving into the area. For the community, the public library:

> Supplements the standard curricula in our public schools;
> Provides information, research resources, culture and entertainment to people of all ages;
> Offers literacy and workforce enhancement for the area’s unemployed and underemployed;
> Collaborates with organizations, businesses and professionals to provide the community with the resources any vibrant community needs to grow, learn, and develop; and
> Preserves and makes accessible the history and cultural achievements of the community for the current and future generations.

If you think a vibrant public library that serves as a community center is an asset for the community, we believe you will find the New Library well worthy of a voluntary contribution.

How can I contribute to the New Library Capital Campaign?
The Capital Campaign will be conducted by community volunteers to raise as much of the needed funding as possible. The Campaign Steering Committee, made up of community leaders and members of the Library Board of Trustees, will pursue contributions from individuals and businesses, corporate grants as well as government and private foundation funding. Pledges over time (up to four or five years) will be welcome, while contributors will have opportunities for memorials and family gifts.

Will government funding help pay for the project?
Yes. We will explore all sources of government support, such as the New York State Library Construction Grant Program, N.Y.S. Legislative Initiative Grants and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Fund. Local and regional economic development funding will also be pursued.

How is the annual operating budget of the library funded?
As a Special Library District [N.Y.S. Laws of 1996], the Library’s operating funds come mainly from a library tax on property owners within the same geographical boundaries as the Oneida City School District. Each year, residents vote on the Library budget and on candidates for the Library Board of Trustees. Significant funding also comes from governmental entities, private foundations and fines and fees. Grants written by Library personnel help support programming for all ages, literacy services to for children and adults and building repair projects. Donations, particularly from the activities of the Friends of the Oneida Library, provide some help in supporting patron services, while the Oneida Library Foundation, an independent steward of bequests, supplements funding for capital expenses incurred to maintain a library building.

Why would the Library enter into a capital building project given the current economy?
The need for a larger, more modern Library that can provide programs and services in the 21st century is greater now than ever before. Further,

> National and local experts agree that a strong, vital public library, as much as a good school system, is essential for a community’s economic stability and growth;
> The Oneida area has a long-standing tradition of supporting non-profit capital projects, whether in education or health care;
> After extensive study, fundraising professionals have assured the Library Board that a significant portion of the project can be funded by a local capital campaign.

What area is the Library chartered to serve?
The New York State Board of Regents has chartered the Oneida Public Library to provide all library services to the people within its Special Legislative District, as provided by the law of August 8, 1996, and endorsed by popular referendum in 1997. The District, which mirrors the boundaries of the Oneida City School District, has a population of about 15,000 people. It covers Durhamville, Oneida Castle, Oneida City, Oneida Valley, Sylvan Beach, Verona Beach and Wampsville.

Will the proposed new Library building be a green building?
The Library Board of Trustees is committed to pursuing every measure in design that can save energy and reduce the building’s environmental impact. It is also planning the construction so that the building will meet the requirements for the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Certification. The Library staff and the architects designing the building are also working with NYSERDA to maximize state funding of the project. The Trustees of the Library have a primary goal to reduce the new building’s energy costs to the minimum possible in the short and long term.

How will the proposed new Library impact the annual operating budget?
Since the project is currently in the design phase, building operation expenses have yet to be calculated. As soon as the design is complete, a pro forma operating budget will be prepared and presented to the community.

What is the proposed timeline for the new Library project?
The new library building project is currently in the design phase. Once the design is complete and funding is in place, the library will make the construction timetable public.

October 12, 2012

Background Paper
for
Oneida Public Library’s
New Library Project

April 2012

Introduction

Oneida Public Library (OPL) serves almost 15,000 residents of all ages in its Special Legislature District (N.Y.S. Laws of 1996). In 2011, area residents

> Visited the OPL 72,389 times,
> Borrowed almost 83,800 books and other materials,
> Asked more than 12,400 reference questions,
> Spent almost 23,000 hours on the OPL’s public computers,
> Used the public WiFi in about 900 individual sessions, and
> Conducted more than 650 tutorial sessions for either children or adult students.
(New York State Education Department Annual Report 2011)

The OPL also offers area adults programs on art, history, computer skills, health and current issues as well as musical concerts and dramatic presentations by community members. Here preschool children are introduced to reading by an expert during regular weekly programs, while school children attend culturally enriching programs after school and during summer vacation. The OPL is also the venue for local not-for-profit organizations to meet or present special programs. Finally, the OPL sponsors a free adult-literacy program, Madison County Reads Ahead, that pairs trained volunteer tutors with students 16 years of age and older for Basic Adult Education, English as a Second Language and GED preparation.

All these services, provided freely to the greater Oneida community, have strained the physical capacity of the existing library facility at 220 Broad Street, Oneida, N.Y., built in 1954. The constraints and inadequacies of the current facility have led the OPL Board of Trustees to launch the New Library Initiative.

The Need for a New Library Facility

The public library of the 21st century is an expanding universe. According to architect and library trendsetter Henry Meyerberg, the contemporary library must be a dynamic professional environment, “an active mixed-use community center for groups to study, meet, and attend events and conferences while employing various media and information technologies. At the same time, the library is a quiet oasis for individuals to work, compute, relax, read, and contemplate.” (Library Journal, Library by Design, fall 2009)

To meet 21st-century needs, the public library will expand its range of services and its offerings for personal, social and cultural development. According to a statistical study of library trends by the American Library Association, 25.4-million American households reported using their public libraries more than 20 times perhousehold in 2009, versus 20.3 million in 2006 [+20%]; of all households, the average number of “in-person public library visits rose to 12.7 in 2009 from 9.1 in 2006 [+28%].” (The Condition of U.S. Libraries, Trends, 1999-2009) During the current economic downturn, public libraries have been increasingly used for Internet access, job searches and applications as well as school homework. According to a recent University of Washington Information School survey funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, about 77 million Americans 14 years and older have used public library computers in 2009.

As new generations of Americans become more isolated due to changes in social patterns and communication, the public library will emerge as a social and community center where all are welcome. Even as the public library continues to introduce individuals to new electronic communication tools and provide instruction in them, books will always have a prime place in the 21st-century library as permanent sources of knowledge, the arts and literature.

To address the needs of the OPL in the 21st century, the OPL Board of Trustees in February 2008 decided to:

> Assess the library’s current facility at 220 Broad Street in Oneida,
> Determine the spatial and technical infrastructure needed to meet adequately the library’s current and potential level of services and
> Explore the possibilities of expanding the library’s physical plant either at the Broad Street site or elsewhere in the central part of the City of Oneida.

As part of the Board’s due diligence, it hired Patience K. Jackson, an independent library-building consultant with a national reputation. In her February 2009 report to the Board, Jackson determined that: “. . . in order to house the 2009 collections and services adequately, the library would need about 10,397 net usable square feet . . . or 2,525 net usable feet more (+ 32%) than the library presently has. This conclusion, of course, presumes no increase at all in collections, seating, computers . . . .” Jackson concluded that the present facility is inadequate and the site prohibitively constricted for expansion She recommended that a new facility be planned—based on Wisconsin Public Library Standards (2005) and a 20-year projection—with up to 25,000 square feet and parking for up to 100 vehicles. (The Oneida Public Library’s Physical Plant Needs: A Needs Assessment and Projection for an Enlarged Public Library Facility, 2009).

Since that report, the OPL Board has consulted with legal counsel, civil engineers and, most importantly, a diverse group of some 40 community members who volunteered to serve in advisory roles. These community members made up five committees (Architectural Selection, Financial Planning, Marketing and Communications, Needs Assessment/Program Development and Steering), which met regularly between December 2009 and April 2010 under the supervision of consultant Charles S. Wolfe.

The Needs Assessment Committee made the following principal recommendation:

> A new library facility is required to meet the demands of the 21st century and the needs of the community;

> It should be located at a central location in Oneida that is accessible to many in the community by foot and provides safe ingress and egress for both pedestrians and vehicles;
> It requires a site of two to three acres in order to accommodate a one-storey structure of at least 18,000 gross sq. ft., 75-100 adjacent parking spaces and sufficient room for future expansion of up to 7,000 sq. ft.;
> It should be set in a green landscape that will allow outdoor library and community gatherings;
> Its one-storey structure, preferred for security and operational efficiency, must have adequate space for staff and administrative offices and dedicated areas for children, teenagers, adults, quiet reading and study, leisure, public computers, tutoring classrooms and a community room that can accommodate at least 100 people and be accessible to the community outside library hours;
> It must meet all applicable civil and safety codes as well as be in full compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (1991); and
> Its infrastructure must accommodate efficiently current and potential electronic communication systems as well as state-of-the-art security systems for libraries.

On April 27, 2010, the OPL Board accepted the committee’s recommendations and unanimously voted to pursue the New Library Initiative.

Problems of the Existing Library Facility

According to Jackson (The Oneida Public Library’s Physical Plant Needs), the current library facility after 56 years of use is “completely full,” despite an addition with 1,460 sq. ft. built in 1992. In particular,

> The facility has 12,063 sq. ft. but only a net usable interior space of about 7,822 sq. ft.; The current collection of materials (62,149 items) overflows the bookshelves, far in excess of the standard formula of 10 volumes/sq. ft.;
> The 8 public computers set aside for adult patrons take up the center space of the Reference Room, while the 6 computers for young adults abut bookshelves in the Young Adult Room;
> State fire code regulations limit occupation in the facility’s Meeting Room to 30 people, the Children’s Room to 20 people and the Young Adult Room to 17 people; and
> The OPL’s rear parking lot is limited to 18 spaces, less in winter due to snow plowing, with shared driveways for ingress and egress.

To meet present services, Jackson estimates that 14,566 gross sq. ft. with 10,397 net usable sq. ft. [+ 32%] would be needed, while a parking lot of 75-100 spaces would be needed to serve the current population.

Based on Jackson’s assessment and recommendations and those of the Community Needs Assessment Committee, the OPL Board determined that the OPL’s current facility at 220 Broad Street has hindered the delivery of services that the library should provide the community. For example:

> The building’s three-storey layout limits staff supervision of patrons, increases the likelihood of theft and vandalism and could lead to high risk of serious injury in case of fire;
> The 1954 building wasn’t built with the handicapped in mind, and the overcrowding of the collection on both the basement and first-floor levels hinders accessibility for the handicapped, the elderly and parents with very young children;
> The OPL’s collection—53,595 books and other printed materials and 3,927 audio/video materials in 2011 (New York State Annual Report 2011)—clogs the bookshelves upstairs and down, many of which are in aisles completely inaccessible to wheelchair-bound patrons and on top and bottom shelves inaccessible to the elderly;
> Cramped space severely caps the number and attendance size of library programs and community meetings, and too often the library risks violating N.Y.S. fire codes and must schedule very popular programs at outside venues at additional expense;
> It has no space to spare for quiet areas for study, tutoring and class instruction;
> Limited staff working space on the first floor and a cramped administrative office in the attic reduce operational efficiency and increase safety risks;
> The infrastructure, heating system and window air-conditioners contribute to severe energy inefficiency;
> The building’s infrastructure is too antiquated to accommodate current, let alone future, levels of technology and electronic communication; and
> Parking near the building is totally inadequate, and the shared driveways in and out of the back parking lot are hazardous as patrons drive in and exit onto the street.

Further, it is not practical to expand or add on to the current facility. It is situated on a parcel containing 0.519 acre (22,620.7 sq. ft.), more or less, with 88.68 ft. frontage on Broad Street. The neighborhood is heavily built up and, according to a real estate broker’s assessment done at the OPL Board’s behest, it would be prohibitively expensive to purchase adjacent parcels, let alone the added cost of razing adjacent buildings for an expanded facility. Expansion to the rear of the building, thus eliminating the existing parking lot, could only accommodate an additional 1,000 sq. ft. and would require very expensive firewalls between the old building and the addition to meet the fire code. And the building, with its three floors (basement, first floor and attic space), would still not be fully accessible to the handicapped and remain a security problem.

The New Library’s Building Site

On June 24, 2011, the President of the OPL Board of Trustees, Diane Roy, signed the final papers for the library’s purchase from the City of Oneida of the vacant parcels at 456 Elizabeth and Main streets that will be the site of a new library facility. Oneida Library purchased the land from the city for $200,000, the funds provided by the Gorman Foundation in the form of a noninterest loan to be repaid in full by May 15, 2016.

Out of the 28 available sites within the City of Oneida reviewed in a Site Investigation (winter 2010), the New Initiative’s Architectural Selection Committee had picked the Elizabeth and Main streets parcels as the one and only site that met the principal criteria that the OPL Board of Trustees had set for any new library facility: a site located in central Oneida City, within walking distance for the people living within the city’s core; and a 2- to 3-acre site suitable for a one-storey building of at least 18,000 sq. ft. with 75-100 adjacent parking spaces.

In April 2010, the OPL Board decided, upon the recommendation by the Architectural Selection Committee, to select the architectural firm Holmes King Kallquist & Assoc., LLP, from three competitive bids.

In turn, Holmes King Kallquist conducted a Site Investigation Study for the New Library Initiative (June 2010), comparing three potential sites for the new library facility in central Oneida City: 131 Main Street (Zeller Building), 153 Cedar Street (vacant) and Main Street and 456 Elizabeth Street It concurred with the site selection previously made by the Architectural Selection Committee:

“It is our opinion based on the site comparison chart for each of the properties reviewed and the Needs Assessment Report that we recommend the Main and 456 Elizabeth Street site for . . . the Oneida Public Library.

“Main and 456 Elizabeth Street, [the site of] the former Junior High School, is presently vacant with over 3 acres of property available for redevelopment in the Historic District of the City of Oneida. Located in an R-3 Residential community, it is centrally located to all schools in the Oneida [City] School District and is uniquely situated adjacent to the Madison County Historical Society, creating a cultural campus. The development of a future library adjacent to the Historical Society will offer opportunities, due to location, to enhance the neighborhood’s civic presence as well as provide patrons better access to community services.

“The existing grade gently rolls from Main Street and Elizabeth Street to the center of the site, [which] includes existing storm structures that can minimize future site development costs to the library. The property meets the minimum criteria for lot size and offers plenty of green space for outdoor program services. The development of a one storey structure on this site will provide the flexibility for future expansion as determined by the Needs Assessment Committee. Vehicular and pedestrian access is safe and available to the community.”

The 456 Elizabeth Street parcel was once the site of the Oneida High School, later Junior High, but the abandoned building was razed in spring 2009 and all debris removed. The Main Street lot was the site of the Oneida Junior High, razed in summer 1973.

According to the tax rolls (see Appendix F, “Property Details”), the Elizabeth Street parcel (Tax ID: 38.33-1-22.1) and the Main Street parcel (Tax ID: 38.33-1-22.2) consist of approximately 3.43 acres, with 316.6 ft. of frontage along the west side of Elizabeth Street and 250 ft. of frontage along the east side of Main Street or State Route 46.

However, a survey by Delta Engineers, Vernon, N.Y. (December 23, 2010) deduced that the parcel is in fact 3.129+/- acres, more or less, with a Main Street frontage of 250.00 ft. and an Elizabeth Street frontage of 315.62 ft.

The following utilities are available at or located on the Elizabeth and Main Street parcels, according to an appraisal prepared by Arsenault Appraisal Associates, Canastota, N.Y.

> City of Oneida water and sewer,
> City of Oneida storm sewer,
> Natural gas and electricity provided by National Grid and
> Telephone lines and cable services (television and high-speed Internet service).

According to Delta Engineers (December 2010), “the property is located entirely in Flood Zone ‘X’ an area determined to be outside the 500-year flood plain. This is shown on a Flood Insurance Rate Map with a Community Panel Number of 360408 0005 D with an effective date of February 23, 2001. This map was prepared by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.”

For tax purposes, the City of Oneida in 2010 assessed the Elizabeth Street parcel (38.33-1-22.1) at $115,800 and the Main Street parcel (38.33-1-22.2) at $23,000 for a total tax assessment of the proposed site at $138,800. In a property appraisal made by Arsenault Appraisal Associates, as of January 5, 2011, the Elizabeth Street and Main Street parcels together have a current market value of $250,000.

Zoning and Building Permits
Though the parcels are zoned for residential use, the OPL should have no problem receiving a zoning variance. According to Cassie Rose, director of Oneida City Planning and Development department, in a letter dated January 5, 2011:

“Tax parcel 38.33-1-22.2, fronting on Main Street, is zoned R-2 (residential). Tax parcel 38.33-1-22.2.2 [sic] fronting on Elizabeth Street, is zoned R-3 (residential). The City of Oneida Zoning Ordinance Table A: Schedule of Uses does not list a library, but such a use would be classified as a Community Center (definition found in Section 190-5.B of the City General Code). A Community Center is allowed in all zoning classifications within the City of Oneida, with the issuance of a Conditional Use Permit by the City of Oneida Planning Commission.”

On December 22, 2012, Holmes King Kallquist obtained from the City of Oneida Planning Commission approval for building on the site and a conditional use permit, depending on all pertinent permits being obtained. The architects, having reviewed the project with the New York State Environmental Quality Review, had agreed to reduce the aesthetic impact of the new facility in a residential area by adding landscaping on the Elizabeth Street side to mitigate the impact of the facility’s parking lot. In addition, the commission stipulated further terms: parking lot lighting to be directed downward on the lot, a maximum building height of 39 feet and project completion by December 31, 2013.

Historic District
The parcels are located in the Main/Broad/Grove Streets Historic District in the City of Oneida, which was sponsored by the Madison County Historical Society and listed in the National Register of Historic Places on September 15, 1983. The District covers: the Main Street (State Route 46) corridor from Washington Street south to the former site of the West Shore Railroad underpass near Genesee Street (State Route 5); and the parallel Broad Street corridor west of Main from Stone Street south to Grove Street. It extends east from Broad along Grove Street to its eastern end. It extends a short distance along Wilber Street, which runs north from the end of East Grove to East Walnut Street. The District includes the west side of Elizabeth Street from the Veterans Memorial at Stone Street south to the site of the former junior high school at 456 Elizabeth Street. (Madison County Historical Society, “National Register of Historic Places Inventory—Nomination Form”)

The City of Oneida and the County of Madison reportedly have no historic preservation ordinances. (Email correspondence between Scott Ingmire, Madison County Planning Director, and Cassie Rose, City of Oneida Planning and Development Department Director, January 12, 2011.)

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) reviewed the new facility plans and required a Phase IA archaeological review of the entire site and a Phase IB review of the northern and easternmost portions. Nikki A. Waters—Principal Investigator of Alliance Archaeological Services, Fayetteville, N.Y.—completed on January 24, 2012, the Phase I archaeological investigation [Phase IA Archaeological Background and Literature Review and Phase IB Archaeological Field Reconnaissance Letter Report of the Proposed New Library Initiative Project Site in the City of Oneida, Madison County, New York (OPRHP Project Review #10PR05424)]. On April 2, 2012, the OPRHP determined that the new building project “will have No Impact upon cultural resources in or eligible for inclusion in the State and National Register of Historic Places.”

The Proposed New Library Facility

The proposed new library facility will be built on the parcels of land at 456 Elizabeth Street and Main Street, containing 3.129+/- acres of land, more or less. The Main Street lot will be dedicated as a permanent “park like” green space with a vehicular access drive or drives to the library building and appropriate lighting and signage.

Holmes King Kallquist & Assoc. is designing a new library facility according to the following criteria established by the OPL Board under the guidance of the OPL Director, Carolyn Gerakopoulos:

> A one-storey structure of at least 18,000 gross sq. ft. with a concrete slab foundation that can bear “library load”;
> A structure designed and sited on the lot allowing for future facility expansion up to 7,000 sq. ft.;
> An exterior design in harmony with the surrounding buildings of Oneida’s Historic District;
> A single entrance for patrons during regular operating hours for security purposes;
> An open interior with distinctly allocated areas for general library services, reference, a children’s “room,” a young adults’ “room,” public computer terminals, stacks reading/study—all within general view of a central circulation desk;
> Separate rooms near the circulation desk for staff work areas and administrators’ offices;
> Separate rooms or small classrooms for tutoring school children and tutoring adults in the OPL’s literacy program, Madison County Reads Ahead, as well as a separate office for the program’s coordinator;
> A secure, separate room for the OPL rare books and historical collection;
> Allotted space for a Friends of the Oneida Library Book Store and for a café/WiFi area; and
> A separate utilities room and adequate storage space.

The OPL Board, reflecting community opinion, intends that the proposed facility be as “green” a building as is economically feasible. With the architects, the Board is investigating the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Certification Program developed by the U.S. Green Building Council. Certification covers facility design, construction and operation.

Around the new building will be a parking lot that can accommodate at least 75 vehicles. Vehicle entrance and exit, as well as City Fire Department access, will be onto both Elizabeth and Main streets.

The preliminary stages of the project have been completed by the architects of Holmes King Kallquist: programming (winter 2011), schematic design, (spring 2011); and design development (fall 2011 to spring 2012).

Occupancy of the new facility is projected to be in spring 2014.

T. Murray, April 24, 2012

	ONEIDA PUBLIC LIBRARY	*Where the community connects*
		THE NEW LIBRARY