After four years of patient waiting, it looks like plans are finally moving forward in the effort to build a new Addison Township Public Library.
Nina Ciccolini, president of the library board, said they expect to close on the 3.78-acre property, located on the north side of Rochester Road between Milmine St. and Cantley St., sometime this August.
To her, that’s a true sign things are moving in the right direction.
The property was generously donated to the library by a party who wishes to remain anonymous.
‘We have all our ducks in a row. We are so excited,? she said.
Preliminary plans for the new 8,910-square-foot facility began in 2003. After numerous site surveys and talking to consultants, Ann Arbor-based architect David Osler was chosen to take on the task.
The finished library would include:
n An expanded and enhanced book collection.
n Efficient and easy access to the entire library collection with storage and archiving capabilities.
n Additional computer workstations and dedicated space for technology.
n Additional, more diverse seating offering a variety of seating options (i.e. children’s seating, casual reading, study and research, etc.)
n Quiet study rooms.
n Comfortable reading areas.
n A designated children’s area, separated from the adult/main library area.
n Space designated for teens.
n A separate program/community meeting room with food service support (available for rental and able to be closed off from the rest of the library).
n Expanded programming and meeting opportunities for all community members and groups.
n Convenient book drop.
n Increased work space for staff to provide better, faster services to patrons.
n A 4,000-square-foot unfinished walk-out basement for future expansions of the library.
Another benefit of the expanded library would be ample parking. The current library has to share parking with the township complex, which usually leaves little to no spaces to park for those visiting the small library.
The Addison library has been leasing its current 1,400 square-foot building from the township since 1981, and Michelle Presley, director of the library, said it isn’t conducive to expansion.
She said having a newer, more state-of-the-art library would also keep Addison library-goers in the township.
‘Eventually, it’s going to get to the point where the Oxford Public Library will turn away Addison residents from using their library,? she said. ‘Technically, they don’t have to let them check out books.?
The cost to build the new library is projected to be $2.9 million. Ciccolini said it’s the library board’s main goal to ‘take as much of the financial burden away from the community? as possible.
‘That means we will be initiating grant writing, looking for large corporate donors and mounting a full-fledged capital campaign,?? she said.
Of course, if that does not flesh out, an additional property tax will be sought on top of another operating millage.
Although plans have already been drawn up for the proposed library, Ciccolini wants to stress that the plans are preliminary.
‘The community may decide they like a different style of architecture. What we’re looking for is feedback from the community because we want to build what the community wants,? she said. ‘Nothing is set in stone at this point.?
Although the library will be anxious to break ground for the new library after it closes on the property, Ciccolini said it will still be a slow and painstaking process before anything begins to take shape.