The Journal News AND the Patent Trader endorse the propostion for a new Mount Kisco Library.
Booking Mount Kisco
(Original publication: November 2, 2005)
Mount Kisco Public Library was the talk of the village when it opened in 1961 amid the promise of the New Frontier, a time where Americans set their sights upon prosperity at home and exploration of the stars, courtesy of John F. Kennedy's vision. Books were a portal into the future and a road map for getting there.
Forty-four years and eight presidents later, the library seems less a bridge to the future than an anchor in the past. It is undersized for the growing village, and thus cramped. Dampness and leaks have promoted mold, as evidenced by the occasional closing and a musty smell that reminds users of old garages after extended rains. These conditions won't inspire today's young users to reach beyond Mount Kisco, let alone for the stars.
Village voters on Election Day Tuesday have an opportunity to fix matters. On the ballot is a proposal to approve borrowing $8 million over 20 years to pay for a new library - a two-story, 21,500-square-foot facility, more than twice the size of the existing building at 100 Main St. That structure would be razed and the new one erected in its place. Temporary facilities would be set up nearby during the 18-month construction period. The new and improved library would be all things to a lot more people.
Planned amenities include a glass atrium entry way, study rooms and a community room on the second floor, providing utility beyond books. It would hold some 150,000 items, including CDs, DVDs and videos, and employ the state of the art in library know-how. The building would meet the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The cost for all of this is reasonable: A homeowner with a property assessed at $33,000, the village median, would pay an additional $127 annually. That is not onerous, considering what residents get back in return - better learning space and community space.
"We need a new library because we need a bigger library," said President Jeanine Meyer of the library's board of trustees. We have more stuff. We have more books. We have more media. We do different sorts of activities. We want a more adaptable building. . . . This particular building is showing its age very badly."
We agree, and urge village voters to cast their ballots accordingly.
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Support $8 million bond for new Mt. Kisco library
(Original publication: November 3, 2005)
When the Mount Kisco Public Library facility was built in 1961 it contained 30,000 books and pamphlets. That number has more than doubled, and does not include videos, CDs, DVDs and computers.
Demand for services such as Internet access and educational courses has increased as well. In addition, there's a need for more space to hold community events and workshops.
Times have changed, yet the building has not. Library staff works hard to provide services, but there's only so much they can do. The space is so cramped that it's difficult to navigate the aisles, particularly for people pushing strollers or using wheelchairs. The roof leaks at times and there's an overwhelming odor of mold in certain areas.
It's time to turn the page.
Library officials are seeking to build a larger facility and have proposed a $8 million bond to fund the project. The plan will go to a vote Nov. 8.
We encourage residents to approve the proposal to build a new library, which we believe will benefit the community in numerous ways.
The bond would be repaid over 20 years and cost taxpayers $3.85 per $1,000 of their home's assessed value annually. Therefore, for a house assessed at $33,000 - the village median - the owner would pay about $127 more a year.
It's not easy to ask taxpayers, already feeling the pinch of rising gas, heating and other costs, to dig deeper into their pockets. But we think the library's plan is a sound one and long overdue.
The library has outgrown its space. Shelves are crammed with more than 68,000 books and 148 periodicals. There are also 1,309 books on tapes and CDs, 3,000 videos and DVDs, 1,101 Spanish language materials and 513 job information center materials.
The project calls for razing the 9,760-square-foot facility at 100 Main St. and building a two-story, 21,500-square-foot structure at the site. The project would take about 18 months, and a temporary facility would be set up nearby, library officials said.
Jeanine Meyer, president of the library's board of trustees, said it is one of the busiest libraries in northern Westchester. She cited increased usage in the past five years, with circulation up nearly 17 percent and the number of cardholders rising from 2,990 to 5,882.
As designed by James Lothrop of Lothrop Associates, renderings of the proposed library are impressive. The facade complements the village campus and the building has two street-level entrances. An atrium and terrace add to the charm.
Inside, there will be multiple rooms for community events, meetings and exhibits. There will be more computer workstations and quiet areas, in addition to space for books, videos and other items.
There will be much needed space for staffers, who are now working in crowded conditions. The library employs nine full- and 12 part-time workers, seven librarians and three bilingual staff members.
The building will have an elevator and will meet requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. There will be bathrooms on both floors and a baby-changing area near the children's rooms.
There are serious concerns with the current facility. In addition to inadequate heating and air-conditioning, mold has been an ongoing problem and has even forced the library to close on several occasions. Part of the ceiling collapsed during a flood in June 2000 that destroyed hundreds of children's books. Repairs over the past three years have cost about $200,000, according to Village Manager William Williams.
This is unacceptable, particularly for a village that puts its library to such use. A recent visit found people browsing newspapers, a father and daughter checking out videos, two teenage boys at work on a computer and a group of seniors assembling for an afternoon "reminiscing workshop" in the community room.
The staff work areas were crammed with boxes, and desks were piled high with papers.
The children's library, on the main floor, offered no buffers, and one could imagine how a lively story hour, while great for the kids, would certainly be distracting to other patrons.
That's the point. A public library is for everyone in the community. It's far more than just a place from which to borrow books - although that's a treasure in itself. Patrons may access the Internet, borrow videos and CDs - all for free, and there are even ESL classes offered for adults.
The library serves a vital function in the community - and it's time for a new facility.
Repairing the existing structure may not make economic sense, as it could involve tearing down walls, installing a new roof and foundation, and repairing the electrical and heating systems, Meyer said.
If the bond fails, Meyer said the library will be forced to cut back on programs and services.
The Foundation for Mount Kisco Public Library has been created to raise funds for programs, services and library equipment. Its goal is to raise $1 million; $100,000 has been raised so far. But that won't cover repairs.
In seeking support for the $8 million bond, library officials put it this way in printed materials: "We estimate that for the typical taxpayer, the annual cost for paying back the bond will be less than 40 cents a day, less than the cost of a newspaper."
And you can always read a copy of the paper at the library, for free.
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