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| Library Trustees Looking At Properties For New Facility |
The Galesburg Public Library Board of Trustees met in a special meeting to discuss plans and set goals for their building project. The board has been looking at moving since the library has become outdated, has outgrown the space they already have, and need a more flexible use of their space according to the board members.
Galesburg Library Board of Trustees Chairman Martin Reichel said after the meeting Wednesday, the group is currently looking at two area properties as front runners of existing buildings that could meet the need of a new library.
Reichel tells WGIL the board has discussed this plan for many years, and it's finally time to start on some action.
"We need to get a timeline going, and a structure going to follow that basically will commit the board to work towards the goal which is to build a new library. We've talked about it in vague terms for a number of years but to really get down to the nitty-gritty and start taking the actions that need to be taken and it's time for action even though we know it's going to take awhile."
Reichel says the entire process from the completion of the building program until the ribbon cutting to open the library could take 3 to 5 years and cost nearly 15 million dollars depending on building costs, and the purchasing of products and services. He says establishing the Library Foundation to help raise money for the enhancement of the library has already netted around 2 million dollars.
The board thought that if they could come up with a third of what the project could cost, it would show the community they were serious about moving of the downtown space.
Reichel says the Galesburg facility has currently outgrown their space. He says the library is seeing a high volume of people using the library saying that nearly 250-thousand people passed through their doors last year alone.
Reichel says two area locations have been scouted to replace the existing location. He says the NAEIR building on Freemont Street and the Econo foods property on East Main Street are being considered to replace the current downtown location. He says the library would love to stay somewhere in the immediate downtown area, but there aren't many properties available that could their needs.
(Galesburg Public Library. WGIL News File Photo.) |
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| 05 21 09 by Newsroom |
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