Salt Lake City could get a new Main Library in the future.
But for now the Salt Lake City Library Board has taken under advisement the recommendation of consultants who favor construction of a new facility over repairs, renovation or expansion of the 32-year-old library.The board voted unanimously Thursday to accept the consultants' report recommending contruction of a new building. A new library is estimated to cost between $35 million to $40 million.
The board told library director Nancy Tessman and her staff to complete research on financing. If a new library were built, most of the funds would likely need to come through a general obligation bond.
Construction of a library on the same block of the present library, 209 E. 500 South, would entail negotiations with city, Redevelopment Agency (RDA) and county officials.
The consultants, Ronald A. Dubberly, William P. Bruder and June Garcia, outlined a number of options and costs of repairing or renovating the present library.
But the consultants said in their report that building a new library would make better economic sense. They said it would better meet the city's library service needs in the years to come. Remodeling the present library without adding any "much needed" space to accommodate growing and changing library needs would cost an estimated $14 million to $24 million.
Such renovation would not add more than about 10 years to the life of the building, the consultants say. That option would simply include refurbishing mechanical, electrical, lightning and computer telecommunications systems.
While concurring with the consultants and saying their analysis leads to an "obvious conclusion" (construction of a new library), Tessman seemed to offer lots of leeway in a written staff response to the consultants' findings.
"What might be ideal must also be evaluated in the context of what is financially prudent and possible. We must be fully respectful of community priorities and long-term operating implications," Tessman said.
She suggested, and the board agreed, that the future of the Main Library would be discussed in its budget meeting with the Salt Lake City Council Tuesday, May 20. The library system has proposed a $9.4 million budget for 1997-1998.
Tessman will meet with representatives of the mayor's office and RDA to "fully explore plans" for the entire block bounded by 400 and 500 South and 200 East and 300 East.
In addition, library staff will study implications that any building project would have on future operational costs of a larger facility.
The consultants' report says a new 200,000-square-foot library - 88,451 square feet larger than the present library - would cost about $35 million. Realistically, library officials say it might cost as much as $40 million. That would not include the cost of a 300-car surface parking lot and many other expenses. The need for adequate parking was cited a number of times in the consultants' report. The lack of parking is a frequent complaint of library patrons.
A completely new library building could be expected to serve the city for about 40 years, the consultants said.
Tessman said the consultants accurately identified the "clear areas of growth and improvement which should be seriously pursued for the Main Library." They include larger, more in-depth collections overall, larger and more effective spaces, particulary for areas such as children's services, fine arts and audiovisual, reference and periodicals.
She said the consultants, who will be paid about $80,000 for a preliminary report and their final document, made a full effort to involve the public, the library staff and many others.