Library Growth Requires Building Expansion

The past decade has seen phenomenal growth in library use—at the Pleasant Valley Free Library, circulation for 2009 was up 13% over 2008, for example. Free computers, DVDs of movies and books, and Wi-Fi account for higher levels of library use also. In Pleasant Valley, we ran out of space for expansion ten years ago. Since then we have been forced to discard a book for every new one purchased. We desperately need to expand the usable building space. In the past few years we have instituted appeals, fundraising events, and ways to contribute to our fund for building expansion online. So far these efforts have produced thousands of dollars, almost all from Pleasant Valley Library patrons, but we are still a long way from funding building expansion.

The building we now have—the Manse—is owned by the Library and the Presbyterian Church next door has given us a dollar-a-year lease on the land that extends for another 150 years. When we bought the Manse forty years ago, volunteers from the community help refit it for a library building and added the one-story wing where most of the books are shelved. The resulting building was adequate until about 2000, when major increases in library use began. We added a half-dozen more computers and places to shelve books and other materials wherever we could. Eventually, with the help of a large grant from the Fairchild foundation, we rebuilt most of the 2^nd floor of the Manse. In the process we solved structural problems that had developed over the years. Separately, we replaced the aging soffits below the roof overhang, repainted the meeting room and first-floor reading room, installed replacement windows, and replaced a broken flagstone walkway with concrete, spending well over $60,000 to keep the Manse in shaped.

Not only is the Manse too small for current Library activity, but also there are other problems. While the first floor is barely handicapped accessible via a ramp that does not meet ADA specifications, the second floor, where the Children’s collection and meeting room are, can only be reached by steep stairs. The meeting room, which is used daily by many different community groups, is also too small and furthermore can only be used during hours when the Library is open.

Ultimately, we need to double the effective size of the Library. As a first step, we need to create handicapped access.

The Library Trustees feel that they owe it to the Town to maintain the Manse, as the one of the few remaining historic buildings in Pleasant Valley. Also, the Trustees believe that it is important to keep the Library in its present central location. Architects have shown us that it is possible to expand the building sufficiently on the land we now lease and to blend the expansion with the existing building in a seamless fashion. We also believe that we can expand in stages, probably starting with improved handicapped access.

What we lack now is sufficient funding. Tax-free donations can be made through the Community Foundation of Dutchess County, either with checks or by credit card at the Website www.cfdcny.org, which can also be reached via the Library Website.