Building Committee Meets

After several years of separating the fundraising for building expansion from a committee concerned more directly with where Library expansion might be heading, the Board under the leadership of Maryelen Brown (who in a past term instituted the two separate committees) has recombined them.  The reason for this is that it was apparent that fundraising could not be effective because the ten-year-old plans for building expansion clearly need rethinking.

A big part of the problem has been that so much time has passed.  Library Director Daniela Pulice, who helped the architect set up the previous design for adding a wing that would replace the present stacks, has reported that the technology of books, computers, DVDs, and other media has progressed so much that the breakdown of space in that plan no longer made sense.

The new combined Building Committee, headed by Ardith Orr who also the most recent leader of the old separate Building Committee, has been seeking help from outside  So far the consultants have been former Pleasant Valley Supervisor Penny Hickman, Assemblyman Marc Molinaro, and architects Ed Loedy and Steve Tinkleman.  Earlier this evening (June 7) members of the new Building Committee met with Daniela to discuss what the Library needs are now and what they might be in the next couple of decades.

Daniela foresees the need for 75% more shelf space for the physical items we lend, more electrical outlets for the new technology, bigger work areas for the staff, complete handicapped access, and better seating for patrons who want to look at or listen to materials or work in the Library. Daniela also said that we need to remain on Main Street in the Pleasant Valley hamlet--either where we are now or somewhere nearby.  If any new or improved building is constructed so that the staff can observe patrons easily at all times, then there should not be any need to expand the staff even as we expanded the building.

The committee members discussed the ways that these goals could be achieved and left the meeting with assignments to develop a plan to present to the Board of Trustees.  It would be premature to outline the plan, which is still being worked on by the committee.

The committee members present considered many possibilities.  We felt that we could propose an attractive building that would in the long run be easier to maintain and cheaper to operate, while not leaving the aesthetic appeal behind.  We want a building that would grace Main Street instead of just a functional Library Building.