A gregarious Jones Library Trustees moment this morning
The Jones Library Board of Trustees voted unanimously this morning on a bevy of issues relating to the future expansion/renovation of the downtown icon, including approval of the 5-year "long range plan", Request for Qualifications approval (leading to an Owners Project Manager) and giving a "museum quality" home to the recently refurbished Civil War tablets.
Trustee Chair Austin Sarat called the idea of housing the sacred historic tablets "an unbelievably cool thing," but he was a little concerned about the installation and upkeep costs.
Direct Sharon Sharry replied the state grant would cover half the cost of constructing the roof over their heads as part of the routine renovations and the town, using Community Preservation Act funding, was going to pay for the actual installation costs and what little upkeep would be required.
The town will now craft a legal agreement guaranteeing the tablets go to the Library, as Director Sharry did not want to have a special custom spot built for them and then have the town change its mind.
A second agreement would stipulate that the tablets are on "permanent loan" but remain town property.
it is still at all clear to me why the library is planning to expand? The library is well used, yes, sometimes, but there are also days even last Sunday when it was raining that it seems fairly empty. I would much prefer some resources/$ go into redesigning some of the current building layout than to expanding the building or parking lots.
ReplyDeleteI don't get it either. Has there already been a study and survey that shows a need or desire from the community for expanding the library. Or is this just something the library director and trustees decided ought to happen?
ReplyDeleteAre those tablets actually town property? Who paid for them -- the town - or the US Army? Someone really ought to check that out....
ReplyDeleteI also don't get it. Maybe renovate and rethink how the current space is being used. But I don't think it needs to get bigger.
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