Resolution A would adopt the Recommended Library Building Program as part of the Library Master Plan’s long-term development s

AGENDA #10a

MEMORANDUM

TO: Mayor and Town Council

FROM: W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager

SUBJECT: Recommend Adoption of Library Building Program as a Component of the Library Master Plan

DATE: April 14, 2003

The purpose of this memorandum is to discuss issues identified in the Library Building Program, presented by consultant Robert Rohlf on January 27, 2002 (Attachment 1), and to recommend follow-up actions:

Resolution A would adopt the Recommended Library Building Program as the third and final component of the Library Master Plan.

Resolution B would direct the Manager to explore phasing and funding options for the proposed library expansion for Council consideration and report to the Council in June.

BACKGROUND

In 1997, the Council appointed a Library Needs Assessment Task Force to identify Chapel Hill’s long-term library needs. In 1999, the Task Force reported that additional space and staff would be needed in the future. The Task Force recommended hiring a consultant to review the Task Force’s findings and perform additional work.

From 1999-2002, the Library Board worked with consultants to identify long-term services and facilities needs of the Town through 2020. This work was completed in February 2002, when the Council adopted the Library’s Five Year Services Plan and Long Term Facilities Needs Through 2020. This plan constitutes the first of three components of the Library Master Plan called for in the Town’s Comprehensive Plan.

In June 2002, the Council accepted a Library Services and Technology Act grant to develop a long-term technology plan for the Library. This work was completed by the consultant and presented to the Council on January 27, 2003. A follow-up report on the Information Technology Plan 2003-2007 is on the agenda this evening for the Council’s consideration and action. This plan constitutes the second of three components of the Library Master Plan.

The Recommended Library Building Program is the third component of the Library Master Plan. In 2002, the Council authorized the Manager to hire a consultant to develop a library building program for potential expansion of the Library.

The Recommended Library Building Program was completed by the consultant and presented to the Council on January 27, 2003.

The consultant’s report includes recommendations for:

· A 48,000 square foot expansion of the existing facility, from 27,000 square feet to 75,500 square feet.

· Increased user seating, from 120 to 279 users.

· A higher per capita number of book and other materials, from 2.8 per capita (145,200 items) to four items per capita (320,000 items).

Adoption of the proposed building program and technology plan this evening would complete the Library Master Plan development process.

DISCUSSION

As required by the Town, the consultant’s Recommended Library Building Program:

Describes physical design requirements for the facility based on professional library design guidelines and community needs.
Identifies specific areas needed in the building, based on size requirements, capacities for readers, collections and staff, and functional relationships of these spaces to one another.
Projects technology space needs and physical requirements necessary to provide electronically available information and referral resources to the citizens of Chapel Hill.

The consultant’s recommendations are consistent with the findings of the earlier Five Year Services Plan and Long Term Facilities Needs Through 2020 adopted by the Council in 2002. The Building Program’s 2025 time frame for service projects is five years longer than the one used in the Services Plan, to correspond with time frames being used for other Town projects. Nonetheless, both consultants recommend similar building expansion projects. The Building Program calls for a facility of 75,500 square feet by 2025. The Services Plan recommends a 70,000-76,000 square foot facility by 2020.

We believe that the Building Program, along with the Five Year Services Plan and the Information Technology Plan, provides excellent guidance for future library development.

Recommendation: We recommend that the Council adopt the Recommended Library Building Program as the third and final component of the Library Master Plan.

Cost Projections

Rough estimates indicate that the proposed library expansion, if completed in one phase, would cost $13-$15 million. This range of costs is based on Means Building Construction Cost Data Book and on figures provided by the library building consultant.

The annual Means Building Construction Cost Data Book is used nationally to project construction costs. The library consultant’s estimates are based on library construction costs included in the Library Journal’s annual construction cost survey and knowledge of library construction costs in communities similar to Chapel Hill.

Both estimates include costs for square footage, engineering and architectural services and site development.

We do not yet have an estimate of costs required to staff and operate a facility of the size recommended.

Funding Sources

The Library Board recommends that the library building expansion be presented for consideration in a referendum in the fall of 2003. Issuing bonds totaling $15 million over 20 years would result in first-year debt service of about $1.5 million, assuming an interest rate of about 5%.

The Council has authorized planning for a Town Operations Center to replace the present facilities on University property, which must be vacated by December 31, 2006. The total project is expected to cost about $30 million. Of this amount, about half would be for Public Works Department facilities and half for Transportation Department facilities. We hope that most of the cost of the Transportation Department facility, perhaps as much as 80% ultimately, would be paid by federal grants. However, we believe the remainder would require local funding. Funding for the Public Works Department portion of this project alone could be $15 million, paid for either through General Obligation bonds or installment contract debt. We are investigating financing options now and will report to the Council in June.

The Library Gift Fund has a balance of approximately $535,000. However, we recommend in a separate memorandum using these funds for capital projects identified in the Information Technology Plan. We believe that technology improvements can be made in the current facility to improve library service immediately without additional space. Therefore, we do not recommend redirecting these funds to a capital building project.

We understand that the Chapel Hill Public Library Foundation has indicated support for an expanded library facility and that it will work with the Friends of the Library to donate funds to assist in implementing the Library Master Plan. The Foundation manages a principal of approximately $1.8 million.

We believe that options for addressing the needs identified in the Library Building Program should be considered in the context of the proposed Capital Improvements Program, which will be presented to the Council as a part of the Manager’s Recommended Budget on April 28.

RECOMMENDATIONS

We believe that adoption of the proposed Library Building Program, along with the proposed Library Technology Plan and the already adopted Library Services Plan would, in combination, establish a valuable set of guidelines for the long-range development of the Library.

We recommend adoption of Resolution A that would include the proposed Library Building Program as a component of the Master Plan for Library Services, Technology and Facilities.

We also recommend adoption of Resolution B that would direct the Manager to explore phasing and funding options for the proposed library expansion and report to the Council in June.

ATTACHMENT

1. January 27, 2003 Memorandum to Council, Library Recommended Library Building Program (p. 7).

RESOLUTION A

A RESOLUTION adoptING the Recommended library building program as a third and final component of the library master plan FOR SERVICES, TECHNOLOGY AND FACILITIES (2003-04-14/R-12a)

WHEREAS, the Council charged the Library Board to develop a Library Master Plan that identified long-term development of library services, technology and space; and

WHEREAS, the Five Year Services Plan: 2001-2006 and Long Term Facilities Needs Through 2020 adopted by the Council identified long-term library service needs; and

WHEREAS, the Information Technology Plan identified Chapel Hill Public Library technology needs through 2007; and

WHEREAS, the Library Building Program identifies library space needs through 2025; and

WHEREAS, this completes the charge to the Library Board of Trustees to develop the Library Master Plan; and

WHEREAS, the Library Board of Trustees endorses implementation of these documents;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Council hereby adopts the attached Recommended Library Building Program as the third and final component of the Library Master Plan.

This the 14^th day of April, 2003.

RESOLUTION B

A RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE MANAGER TO EXPLORE PHASING AND FUNDING OPTIONS FOR THE PROPOSED LIBRARY EXPANSION FOR COUNCIL CONSIDERATION IN JUNE (2003-04-14/r-12b)

WHEREAS, the Library Building Program is the third component of the Town’s Library Master Plan; and

WHEREAS, the Library Building Program recommends an facilities expansion of 48,000 square feet by 2025; and

WHEREAS, additional information is needed regarding phasing and funding options for this expansion;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Council hereby directs the Manager to explore phasing and funding options for the library expansion based on guidelines included in the Library Building Program and to report to the Council in June 2003.

This the 14^th day of April, 2003.