Plan would double size of Cape public library

A proposal for additions to the Cape Girardeau Public Library aims to transform the building into a modern community hub.

Thursday night, an architectural firm unveiled a plan to double the size of the library to 38,000 square feet. The plan would expand the size of the children's section, add a drive-through window, double the size of the computer lab and add a meeting place where patrons can enjoy coffee and conversation.

The project, still in its idea phase, will take a few years to complete and involve more public input. All the details of the new design are not yet agreed upon, and any expansion would require approval by voters before construction could begin. Architects estimate the expansion would require a year and six months' construction time during which the library would stay open.

Betty Martin, director of the library, remembers when going to the library was a chore. "I thought I was very fortunate to live near a library when I was young, but back then libraries were just warehouses for books," she said. "That's not true anymore, now people want libraries to be information portals and community meeting places. We want to become that destination, but to do that we need more room."

The plans presented by the Clark Enersen Partners architectural firm of Lincoln, Neb., call mainly for expansion to the west of the existing library. The current entrance facing Clark Avenue will remain the same and parking will be moved to the north with an additional 30 parking spaces.

The drive-through window loop would be added to the east of the main entrance.

"This can be used for people who want to pick up a book on reserve," said architect Lowell Berg. "One of the first things we heard from people is that they want this type of convenience. For mothers who don't want to unload their kids, it makes a big difference."

The plan calls for expanded quarters for librarians and a new circulation desk in front. The children's section will be in the southeast corner and will have its own information desk with a program room for storytelling and theater events.

The new library would also boast 55 computers with some positioned in the children's area. The library's meeting hall will double in size and be expanded to the north.

A main corridor will bisect the new setup leading through the periodical section and feeding out into a foyer where planners envision a coffee bar leading out to a terrace area.

The plan is meant to defy the expectations of a stuffy, old-fashioned library, said architects.

"This next generation uses libraries in a much different way," Berg said. "Younger people get their information digitally and quickly off the Internet, and they expect a library to be just as efficient. A library that's set up for a time when all you had were books just isn't relevant anymore."

Berg also said that younger people are accustomed to studying differently and some of the noise created by a coffee bar and computer activity may actually make the environment more attractive to them.

tgreaney@semissourian.com

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