Greener Libraries

As reported in the MHLS Bulletin:


"Both the Cairo Public Library and the Town of Esopus Public Library were in the newspaper recently for making sustainable energy choices for their library facilities:

"- The Daily Mail reported that decision makers for the new Cairo Public Library building have voted unanimously to heat and cool the building using a geothermal system. While having a higher upfront cost, the system is project to save the library $3,000 a year and pay for itself in just over a decade.

"- The Daily Freeman reported that the Board of the Town of Esopus Public Library has decided to move forward and expand their solar electric system. The library already has a 96 panel system on their roof. The expansion would provide 24 panels mounted on a hillside next to the facility. The library's current system provides 32% of the building electricity. (p.s. this library also has a geothermal heating and cooling system!)"

The Pleasant Valley Free Library Building Committee is now engaged in discussions with architects about how to create a library that will better fullfil the community needs for the next twenty years. A major concern is how we can keep operating costs down.  The need to stabilize operating costs suggests that any new library building should keep the functioning parts of the library--stacks, circulation desk, meeting rooms, computers, and so forth--all one one floor.  Maintenance on elevators is one reason for that concern and another is that adding floors to a building requires staff additions as well.

The Building Committee is also asking architects for other suggestions for reducing operating cost. Clearly one possibility is to "go green" as much as we can.  This involves everything from how the lighting is designed to the positioning of windows and heat sinks to the sources of hot and cold air (geothermal? or just efficient furnaces and air conditioning?) to possibilities for solar power.  There is much to consider, including the normal trade-offs between the cost of an LEED building and the reductions in annual operating costs.

New York State demands a wall between capital expenses and operating expenses, which means that the  costs of new and/or improved buildings come from what amounts to a separate budget from the costs of maintaining, operating, and staffing the building.  The Pleasant Valley Library for the past several years has dealt with this in part by having in effect two different treasurers, one for operating income and expenses and a deputy treasurer who just is concerned with capital income and expenses--although a single financial committee headed by the treasurer unifies these two budgets.

Of course, none of the green options are free.  The Building Committee will have to raise additional funds if the Library is to adopt any of these.  Don't forget that it is easy to contribute to the building fund online through the Community Foundation .  Just click on the underlined words "Community Foundation," enter your information, and designate your contribution to the Pleasant Valley Library Building Donor Fund.