Cape's library looking for reading room

The Cape Girardeau Public Library would nearly double its size under a consultant's plan that includes a larger children's section, wireless Internet access, a cafe and living-room styled seating throughout the building.

"It's going to cost a lot of money," said consultant Bob Smith of Medina, Ohio, who briefed the library board and members of the library foundation on the plan Monday night.

The plan would add nearly 17,000 square feet of space on the site at 711 N. Clark St.

The current library was built and equipped at a cost of more than $1 million in 1980. Twenty-five years later, it's cramped, Smith said. "There is a lot of shelving around, but not much people space."

The children's area is too small for children and parents, he said. "They have no place to sit and curl up with a book."

Built before the age of the Internet, the library also needs more computer stations, the consultant said.

"You need a bigger building," he said. "The community deserves it."

After the meeting at the library, Smith said expanding the library to a total of 35,711 square feet would cost more than $2 million. It will be up to an architect to finalize cost figures, he said.

But Smith said he doesn't expect the board to follow all of his recommendations regarding expansion of the library.

Library director Betty Martin said the project ultimately depends on what is affordable. "If money was no object, this is what you would do," she said of the consultant's plan.

The library hopes to hire an architect within the next few months, Martin said.

Board members said they need time to review the plan.

Library officials are considering asking voters to approve a bond issue to fund the expansion project. But Martin said the library board probably won't be ready to go to the voters this calendar year.

The first step, Martin and Smith both said, is to educate the public about the tax-funded library and its services.

"A lot of people just don't know what the library has to offer," Smith said.

Smith, who was hired by the library board last summer at a cost of $22,000, said the library needs to do a better job of publicizing itself. He suggested the library board issue an annual report or put out a newsletter to inform the public about its services.

The library operates on a $780,000 annual budget, mostly funded by a property tax of more than 16 cents per $100 assessed valuation. Fines, special membership fees, state funding and some grants also are revenue sources to varying degrees, Martin said.

Smith said the five-acre site provides plenty of room to build an addition or even construct an entirely new building. He favors building an L-shaped addition on the north and west sides of the library, with a new entrance drive and drive-up window on the north side where customers can pick up requested books and other items.

Parking would be improved and a new, larger front entrance built on the west side of the building. The small parking lot adjacent to Clark Street would be removed.

Martin said the lot, which also serves as the driveway to the library, is a traffic hazard.

Smith's plan includes separate sections for preschool, kindergarten through third-grade readers and children ages 7 to 12. In addition, there would be a story-hour room.

Teenagers would have their own area elsewhere in the library.

The plan also includes space for a cafe and gift shop as well as several meeting and study rooms, including a large meeting room that could accommodate 200 people and allow for video conferences.

Some exterior improvements to the existing library building also could help boost the library's image, Smith said.

The existing library sits low on the sloping terrain. It's easily missed by passing motorists, he said.

One possible solution is to build up the roof line, add skylights and install larger windows on the east side of the existing building to draw more public attention to the library, he said.

The building, he said, needs to be illuminated at night.

mbliss@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 123