Cape library begins planning for expansion

When it moved to its new home on North Clark Street 24 years ago, the Cape Girardeau Public Library was a source of civic pride.

The pride may still be there, but open space isn't. The library is now considering building an addition to the 18,000-square-foot brick building.

"We are running out of room," said Sarah Nussbaum, president of the library board.

The section housing children's books and services is cramped. The library needs more meeting rooms and small group study rooms, library director Betty Martin said. It also needs outlets patrons can plug their laptops into when they come to the library to do research.

The library board recently selected a consultant to study constructing an addition to the library that could double its space. Martin said a $22,000 contract will be signed soon with consultant Bob Smith of Medina, Ohio.

The planning work could take six months, she said. Ultimately, the library board would have to decide how to fund the project.

"We would probably have to do some type of bond issue," Martin said. The board might have to seek voter approval for such financing, but she said the board has yet to research the issue.

Martin said the cost of an addition hasn't been determined. It cost more than $1 million to build and equip the current library at 711 N. Clark St.

The library is managed by a nine-member board of directors appointed by the mayor. But the board operates independent of city government, and the library is funded by a property tax levy.

Before the board can look at financing an addition, it has to draw up a plan for what improved services and programs would be offered in an expanded library, Martin said.

Community input

As part of the process, the consultant will meet with focus groups to include both those residents who use the library and those who don't.

"It is important to hear what people want in their community," said Smith, the consultant.

Smith said he will look at the library's future needs in an effort to decide on the square footage required for any new addition. He said he likely will visit the library next month as part of the planning process.

Martin said part of the planning process will look at services or programs the library can offer to attract more customers.

"One of the things I know we need to do is improve our children's services area," she said. "The children's services area has been taken over by shelving."

Adding a new children's services section of the library would allow children accompanied by parents to engage in "fun things" to help with literacy skills, Martin said. An example would be playing with letter magnets on a refrigerator-style door, she said.

Many libraries have separate children's areas, Nussbaum said. Such rooms allow children to be a a little "noisier" without bothering adult patrons in the other areas of the library.

Nussbaum said any expansion of the library needs to be visible to passing motorists because the current one-story structure sits back from the street and can be missed by passers-by. A taller structure might help, she said.

mbliss@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 123