BAYPORT-BLUE POINT PUBLIC LIBRARY

Transcription

1 BAYPORT-BLUE POINT PUBLIC LIBRARY 2018 BOND REFERENDUM NEWSLETTER The Bayport-Blue Point Library is the community s portal to life-long learning and is dedicated to promoting knowledge, fostering creativity and bettering lives. 203 Blue Point Avenue, Blue Point, NY A handicap accessible/ada compliant facility Additional senior services We invite you to join us at our Library Board meeting on Wednesday, November 14, 2018 at 7:00 p.m. and at a second community information meeting that will be held on Thursday, November 29, 2018 at 7:00 p.m. in the Library. The Board will present the Library s proposed plans for the St. Ursula Center location and provide you with all of the details needed to make an informed decision on the Library s Bond Referendum Vote on December 6, In September of 2018 the Library Board of Trustees reached an agreement to purchase the St. Ursula Center for $3.65 million and to convert it into a new community Library. The agreement to buy the 8.27-acre property located at 186 Middle Road in Blue Point is contingent upon the approval by School District residents of a proposed $16,847,800 Bond at a Referendum Vote that will be held on December 6, 2018 (7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., at the Library). As we look to the future, we greatly appreciate your valuable input regarding how you believe the Bayport-Blue Point Public Library can best meet your current and future needs. Your public Library is at a crossroad. The Library served 125,065 patrons and guests during the Fiscal Year. We have maximized the use of all available space within the Library to serve your needs but still lack adequate space to conduct all the programs the community desires and deserves. Going forward, it will become increasingly challenging to effectively meet the needs of our patrons of all ages in the Library s limited building space which is aging rapidly and in need of significant repairs and code compliance alterations. Over the past few years the Library Board and staff have partnered with constituents and consultants to develop a proposed new Library plan that will best meet our residents needs for better utilization and increased flexibility of Library spaces and services. This plan features: Additional meeting spaces and program rooms Dedicated space for community groups Designated children s Library enrichment area Separate young adult Library area with appropriate amenities Comfortable seating and quiet leisure reading spaces Increased areas for additional Library materials Quiet rooms for individual and group study A small café area for our patrons convenience Increased technological and Wi-Fi efficiency Energy and cost efficient building systems VOTER REGISTRATION Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., through November 30, 2018 Bayport-Blue Point School District Office 189 Academy Street, Bayport, NY LIBRARY BOND VOTE Thursday, December 6, :00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Bayport-Blue Point Public Library 203 Blue Point Avenue, Blue Point, NY 11715

2 THE PROPOSED NEW BUILDING WILL ADDRESS THE COMMUNITY S CURRENT AND FUTURE LIBRARY NEEDS Our proposed new building plan calls for renovating the St. Ursula Center to enable the Library to effectively address: The growing need for more space for: Library and community group programs, a formal reading room for adults, a larger children s Library and dedicated program room, a young adult Library center, outdoor space for programs and events and additional shelf space for increased materials The need to accommodate the extensive changes in Library services currently offered and that will be featured in the future Rapidly aging building infrastructure and antiquated building systems Inaccessible areas to handicapped patrons and other non-ada compliance issues The use of energy efficient materials and systems which will reduce our need for energy and result in reduced energy costs Dedicated space for more senior activities As conceptualized, the proposed new Library will most cost-effectively accommodate our current and future needs and will be an inviting community center for reading, research, entertainment and many other activities, all in a building that is inviting, comfortable, functional and adaptable. Notably, a report by the American Library Association found that: public libraries are engines of economic growth: contributing to local development through programming in early literacy, employment services and small business development. The report also stated that libraries provide an excellent return on investment, positively impacting the local economy and contributing to neighborhood quality of life. BUILDING PROGRAM COMPARISON Existing Library Building Proposed Library Building Outdoor Activity Area ± 915 SF Parking Stalls 62 Parking Stalls 104 Administration ±1,158 SF Technology ± 255 SF Young Adult Library ± 234 SF Children s Library ±1,753 SF Meeting Space ±2,475 SF Adult/Senior Library ±4,853 SF Study Rooms ± 115 SF Technology 592 SF Children s Library 4,811 SF Administration 2,026 SF Meeting Space 4,684 SF Outdoor Activity Area 4,800 SF+ Adult/Senior Library 5,736 SF Study Rooms 645 SF Young Adult Library 1,006 SF SERVING OUR COMMUNITY ( FISCAL YEAR) 125,065 Library visits 10,000 collection materials checked out monthly (on average) 915 adult, young adult, children and family programs offered 445 programs offered by community organizations More than 11,000 instances of computer use More than 13,000 reference questions answered Almost 600 Summer Reading Club participants 1,000 s of book titles available for download Live online tutoring, Monday-Sunday, 2:00-11:00 p.m. 24/7 access to the Library s home page featuring: Live-brary, e-resources, downloadable books and magazines, Freegal Music and many other online resources

3 PROJECT COST SUMMARY Renovation Project Cost: $13,197,800 Property Acquisition: $ 3,650,000 Bond Referendum Amount: $16,847,800 AVERAGE COST* Town of Brookhaven Town of Islip Tax Rate $7.64 per $100 Tax Rate $0.57 per $100 Average home (assessed valuation of $3,000) Average home (assessed valuation of $40,000) Approximately $19.00 per month* Approximately $19.00 per month* *Based on the amount being financed at a projected interest rate of 3.5 percent over a term of 18 years. (Projections provided by Munistat Services, Inc. based on current market conditions). The existing Library building was appraised at $2 million by Goodman-Marks Associates, Inc. Following a successful bond referendum vote the Library building is expected to be sold with the proceeds being applied to offset the cost of the project to the taxpayers. Additionally, the Library will apply for New York State grants and pursue donations in an effort to reduce the cost of the bond. SAVE MONEY USE YOUR LIBRARY The Bayport-Blue Point Library is a valuable community resource providing all of the following services and more at a fraction of today s average retail prices: LIBRARY VALUE CALCULATOR MENU* How many of each item do you typically use? Retail Total Adult Books Borrowed 4 $17.00 $ YA Books Borrowed 0 $12.00 $ 0.00 Children s Book Borrowed 8 $17.00 $ Audiobooks Borrowed 0 $ 9.95 $ 0.00 Interlibrary Loan Requests 0 $25.00 $ 0.00 ebooks Downloaded 0 $15.00 $ 0.00 Music CD 0 $13.95 $ 0.00 Magazines Read 5 $ 5.00 $ emagazine Downloaded 0 $ 5.00 $ 0.00 Newspapers Read 0 $ 9.50 $ 0.00 Movies Borrowed 2 $ 4.00 $ 8.00 CDs Borrowed 0 $ 9.95 $ 0.00 Music Downloaded 0 $ 1.00 $ 0.00 Video Games Borrowed 0 $29.95 $ 0.00 Music Downloaded 0 $1.00 $ 0.00 Meeting Room Use (per hour) 2 $25.00 $ Adult Program Attended 0 $15.00 $ 0.00 Young Adult Program Attended 0 $12.00 $ 0.00 Children s Program Attended 6 $ 7.00 $ Museum Passes Borrowed 0 $20.00 $ 0.00 Computer Use (per hour) 0 $12.00 $ 0.00 WiFi Connection (per 2 hours) 0 $ 9.95 $ 0.00 Database Searches 3 $19.95 $ Reference Assistance 0 $ 7.00 $ 0.00 Monthly benefit: $ *This is an example of the approximate return on investment for one Bayport-Blue Point Library family with two adults and one child. Please visit =advocacy to discover the approximate return on investment of your library and materials services usage.

4 FIRST FLOOR PLAN SECOND FLOOR PLAN

5 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS How much will this cost me? The proposed new Library project cost is $13,197,800 and the property acquisition is $3,650,000 for a total of $16,847,800. If the bond amount is approved, taxes for the average home with an assessed value of $3,000 in the Town of Brookhaven would increase by approximately $19.00 per month. Taxes for the average home with an assessed value of $40,000 in the Town of Islip would also increase by approximately $19.00 per month. What will happen to the existing Library building? If the public approves the acquisition and renovation of the St. Ursula Center for the new Library, the existing Library is expected to be placed up for sale with the proceeds being used to offset the bond amount. Goodman-Marks Associates recently appraised the Library property at $2 million. Where will the new Library be located? The proposed new Library would be nestled in the beautiful setting of the former St. Ursula Center property, less than one-quarter mile from its current location and easily accessed via Blue Point Avenue and Middle Road. What is the size of the proposed Library? The new Library will be approximately 28,000 square feet. The proposed design will maximize the amount of usable space and will provide ample space to meet the needs of our active and diverse community now and in the future. What are some of the issues with the current Library? The current Library was built in three sections. It was first constructed in 1957 with one addition built in the 1980s and the second in the 1990s. Today, the Library has maximized the use of all available space yet the Library still lacks adequate room to offer all of the programs and services that our community wants and deserves including: a formal adult reading room, dedicated spaces for children and young adults, meeting space for Library and community groups and much more. In addition the Library does not comply with ADA and handicap accessible codes and regulations. There is asbestos under the carpet that needs to be addressed with an abatement process. The heating, ventilation and air conditioning units need to be upgraded for energy-efficiency. The proposed new Library property will offer the potential for growth and development of Library services to better meet the needs of our patrons of all ages. In addition the new Library plan has the value-added benefit of preserving an iconic historic community structure and adding open space for public use in an era of increasing overdevelopment on Long Island. What will the new Library offer? The new Library would be a sunlit building set within a tranquil eight-acre parcel of land that will be perfect for community events. The proposed plan offers the following community benefits: approximately 104 parking spaces; a secure and safe setting; state-of-the-art technology for patrons of all ages; comfortable cooling/heating, lighting and seating; quiet rooms for individual and group study; ADA compliant restrooms, book stacks and aisles; energy efficient and cost-saving utility systems; an outdoor Community Garden; a Nature Explorium; and more. What is a Nature Explorium? A Nature Explorium is a dynamic nature-based outdoor space developed by research-based field-tested design principles that support children s learning and social/ emotional development in all domains. Designed to meet children s individual learning styles, interests and strengths, it helps children improve math and science learning; cultivate art and music interests; and foster initiative, cooperation and creativity. Will the new Library require additional staff? Unlike other municipal facilities that expand, most of the Library s additional square footage will be public space that won t require additional staff. We anticipate a change in how services are delivered with little or no staff increases. What increases to the operational costs will be needed from the old building to the new building? The Library is collaborating with other municipalities to partner on joint services to reduce the impact of the financial burden of property maintenance, etc. Our construction professionals advise us that moving from an ol d inefficient building to a new high-efficiency building with solar panels will cause minimal increases in utilities costs that our current budget could absorb. How do I register to vote? To participate in the Bayport-Blue Point Public Library Bond Referendum Vote, voter eligibility requires that you are: a United States citizen; at least 18 years of age; a School District resident for at least 30 days; and a registered voter with the School District s Board of Registry or with the Suffolk County Board of Elections. Residents may register to vote at the Bayport-Blue Point School District Office, 189 Academy Street, Bayport, Monday through Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The last day to register is Friday, November 30, Absentee ballot applications will be available in the School District Office between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Ballots will be mailed to those on the Board of Elections permanently disabled list. When and where do I vote? Voting on the bond referendum will be held on Thursday, December 6, 2018, at the Bayport-Blue Point Public Library from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. What if I have more questions? Please feel free to contact Library Director Mike Firestone at extension 12.

6 BAYPORT-BLUE POINT PUBLIC LIBRARY 203 Blue Point Avenue Blue Point NY Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 8 Blue Point, NY LIBRARY HOURS Monday-Friday Saturday Sunday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 1 to 5 p.m. BOARD OF TRUSTEES Ronald F. Devine Jr., President Mary Ellen Adams Stephanie Heineman Susan Kennedy-Smith Kim McAward Michael Firestone Library Director Library Board meetings are held the second Wednesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. VOTER REGISTRATION Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., through November 30, 2018 Bayport-Blue Point School District Office 189 Academy Street Bayport, NY LIBRARY BOND VOTE Thursday, December 6, :00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Bayport-Blue Point Public Library 203 Blue Point Avenue Blue Point, NY 11715