Space squeeze hits library. (Poynette Press, 3/7/2012)
Excerpt: The space crunch has renewed a push among library officials to get moving on a project to expand the library. Last summer, village officials revealed plans to purchase three downtown buildings, including the vacant "Jamieson" building that formerly housed the "Little Blessings" store.
The idea was to eventually raze those buildings and current library to allow a private developer to come in and build a new facility which the village would not have the expenses of owning. Library officials and some residents didn't like the idea of the library acting as a renter to a private company, and there were disagreements about exactly what that might cost both the library and the village with such a private-public partnership.
Last month, the Poynette Area Library Board released a press release emphasizing their preference to knock down the wall between the library and the vacant, village-owned "Jamieson" building next door to eventually create a new children's area in front and meeting space in back. Daugherty said solving those two issues would essentially fix the problem for the foreseeable future.
As of last week, the library had a list of more than 160 patrons who signed a petition at the library to support expanding next door. Daugherty said the petition has proven to be a good way to get the conversation going, as well as dispel potential misconceptions about the position of library officials on expansion.
"I heard last week there are a lot of people in the community who believe a big, brand-new library is something the library is pushing for, and this hopefully will dispel (that)," she said.
Related posts:
Keeping the lines of communication open. 12/15/2011)
Poynette library board president takes village board to task for poor communication. (11/26/2011)
The library as Poynette's anchor store. (11/10/2011)
Poynette redevelopment project includes space for library. (9/29/2011)
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