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The Real World-052s
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 Posted: Sun, Mar 1 2015, 3:22 pm EST Post subject: Library Space Constraints: Fact or Fiction? |
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Supporters of a new library argue the library needs more space. Others argue the library could do more with the space they have and that the need for space will continue to diminish as technology makes many hard copy books and videos obsolete. The available data put forth by the library so far has been vague and appears to defy observation. So how many people visit the library each day? How often is the library above capacity? Are the library space constraints fact or fiction?
| anon-0o99 wrote: | Kirstie Venanzi, President, Cranbury Public Library Board of Trustees
Reason for the new library:
The new building will meet the needs for a 21st century library that will serve as community center with expanded meeting/program space.
Usage:
The Cranbury Public Library is very important to the community (Zogby survey). Last year, we had 53,699 visitors, held 265 programs with 4,353 attendees, and had 45,064 books, videos, cds audios, magazines, museums passes and games checked out. |
| anon-052s wrote: | | anon-0qqn wrote: | The number of library visitors seems to be misrepresented. It works out to 179 visitors per day (average) since the library is open for less than 300 days per year.
The library is an important part of the community, but it would be nice to know how many non-school members of the community use the facility on a daily basis. It really is hard to make a case for the expense of a new building if less than 10% of the adults in the community actually would use the place. |
You're right. It is difficult to get hard data about the number of unique adults who use our library. Plus, the promotional pro-library spin on the "facts" that are presented gives rise to skepticism. For example, the article posted by Library Lover declares libraries to be the new community centers, largely because "69% of adults are actively engaged with public libraries". However, when you look at the Pew research cited in the article, you see that the claim is extraordinarily thin. Here are a few interesting facts from the pew research...
1. Library Lovers constitute only 10% of the population. These frequent library users visit the library more than once per year and they are typically students and parents of students. Plus, unlike studies of the 18+ adult population, the Pew study includes 16 and 17 year old high school kids.
2. You don't have to visit the library to be considered actively engaged. 20% of the people described as "highly engaged" with libraries have not been to a library in over a year. Almost 40% of the people described as "actively engaged" with libraries have not been to a library in over a year.
3. Most people don't visit the public library each year. More than half of the people in the study have not been to a library in over a year. There are 40% more people who have NEVER been to a public library than there are "Library Lovers".
The Pew study simply does not make the case that libraries are "the new community centers", as the article claims. That said, perhaps Cranbury residents are more engaged with the library. Hopefully, before anyone decides to invest millions of dollars in a new library, we will get hard data about how many unique adults visit the library each day, month and year. |
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Stockton Drive-0292
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| Posted: Tue, Mar 3 2015, 10:09 am EST Post subject: Re: Library Space Constraints: Fact or Fiction? |
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"Usage:
The Cranbury Public Library is very important to the community (Zogby survey). Last year, we had 53,699 visitors, held 265 programs with 4,353 attendees, and had 45,064 books, videos, cds audios, magazines, museums passes and games checked out.
states KV, Library Board President
These numbers are fiction, and categories are very broadly used.
"Programs" = one after school 6th grader doing a 3 minute craft waiting for his mother to pick him up at 5:15 AND 100 people in April for Thanks to You cake social.
"Visitors" = every body counted by electronic eye at entrance.
Includes mailman delivering mail, mom with 3 kids running in to book drop, 8th graders running in and out of library from 3:15 to 5:15pm.
"4,353 attendees" = gross misrepresentation to outright fabrication.
Library Board and Library Director you have no credibility with this false data.
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m.a. buonarotti-51nq
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| Posted: Tue, Mar 3 2015, 8:54 pm EST Post subject: Re: Library Space Constraints: Fact or Fiction? |
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| Why not just add on to the exisiting library? It wouldnt be easy, but it would cost MUCH less than building a new one.......no? I like the idea of the school kids having access to a library. It may help them to read more. |
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anon-0o99
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| Posted: Wed, Mar 4 2015, 5:57 pm EST Post subject: Re: Library Space Constraints: Fact or Fiction? |
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Kirstie Venanzi, President, Cranbury Public Library Board of Trustees
Expanding the current building:
The present building is not able to support a second story; there is no place to expand. Additionally, the extra traffic that the public library brings to the school parking lot is a concern. The good news is when the public library vacates the building, the school will have all of the current space as a fully dedicated school library – which would provide for expanded access during the school hours.
Lack of space:
Library Consultant Karen Avenick in her Cranbury Public Library Assessment April 2008 page 7 states “The residents of Cranbury desire and deserve excellent library services. It is extremely difficult for the [public] library to provide such services in cramped and shared spaces that are not designed for efficiency and effectiveness. The space affects what can be offered to Cranbury residents, as well as the way that they are offered, therefore, the Cranbury Public Library needs and deserves more space to offer excellent customer service to its residents.”
The lack of space is evident during the school hours when the students cannot freely use their library and when parents with preschoolers cannot go into the children’s section when students are present. We see the lack of space during the after school hours and we it when we have programs in the library.
Usage :
Cardholders: About 3,132 residents have library cards.
Our usage numbers are compiled every day and they fluctuate. The school students are not included in these number, nor is the mailman. If you would like more information on how these numbers are compiled, please stop by the library.
Programs
We are proud of our library programs. We have everything from the popular Towels for Owls program, STEM for students, Tech Device Advice, Reading Buddies, GrandPals. Book Discussions, to Toddler Time (and many more).
Upcoming:
Saturday, March 7, 1:30 p.m.: Frank Marlowe will give a talk entitled “Selma, the End of Civil Rights Movement”
Friday, March 13, 7 p.m. : Bob Kane will have a presentation on Spinach Farming in Cranbury. |
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anon-4r24
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| Posted: Tue, Mar 10 2015, 9:21 am EDT Post subject: Re: Library Space Constraints: Fact or Fiction? |
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| anon-0o99 wrote: | Kirstie Venanzi, President, Cranbury Public Library Board of Trustees
Lack of space:
The lack of space is evident during the school hours when the students cannot freely use their library and when parents with preschoolers cannot go into the children’s section when students are present.
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Looking at the schedule, it appears "Toodler Stay and Play" and "Grandpals" are the only regularly scheduled programs during school hours. It seems like there ought to be a way to arrange the library to accommodate the needs of pre-school age children without conflicting with the needs of school age children.
It might also be nice to run these programs on a Saturday or Sunday sometimes to give working parents a chance to participate.
Either way, it seems like we ought to be able to solve this problem within the currently available space. |
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anon-7642
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| Posted: Tue, Mar 10 2015, 12:59 pm EDT Post subject: Re: Library Space Constraints: Fact or Fiction? |
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I went to Monroe yesterday beacuse there is space. I went to Plainsboro last week, because there is space. I don't go to Cranbury, because I feel there is none when I want to go.
However, I want to ask another related question...
Cranbury Library is closed on Sundays. Is this to save money? If so, will there be money to have the library open on Sundays?
While I am all for having a new free-standing library with a community space in town, if we don't have the funds to keep it open on Sundays, then I would say, don't bother. |
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anon-p280
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| Posted: Tue, Mar 10 2015, 3:41 pm EDT Post subject: Re: Library Space Constraints: Fact or Fiction? |
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| anon-7642 wrote: |
Cranbury Library is closed on Sundays. Is this to save money? If so, will there be money to have the library open on Sundays?
While I am all for having a new free-standing library with a community space in town, if we don't have the funds to keep it open on Sundays, then I would say, don't bother. |
Short answer: No. If anything the new library will have less money for additional operating hours and the incremental costs of adding hours will increase vs. the current library.
Incidentally, the current library could create more space for patrons by digitizing more of the non-fiction resources and giving back some of the space behind the front desk.
Save Our Library! |
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Perrine Lane-0o99
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| Posted: Thu, Mar 12 2015, 1:14 pm EDT Post subject: Re: Library Space Constraints: Fact or Fiction? |
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| anon-0o99 wrote: | Kirstie Venanzi, President, Cranbury Public Library Board of Trustees
Our usage numbers are compiled every day and they fluctuate. The school students are not included in these number, nor is the mailman. If you would like more information on how these numbers are compiled, please stop by the library.
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My neighbor works in the library. She told me how the patrons were counted.
The compilation is : number from electronic door counter divided by 2.
If that is incorrect, have Mrs. Kafasis post the formula here or on the library website. |
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anon-257q
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| Posted: Thu, Mar 12 2015, 6:44 pm EDT Post subject: Re: Library Space Constraints: Fact or Fiction? |
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| Perrine Lane-0o99 wrote: | | anon-0o99 wrote: | Kirstie Venanzi, President, Cranbury Public Library Board of Trustees
Our usage numbers are compiled every day and they fluctuate. The school students are not included in these number, nor is the mailman. If you would like more information on how these numbers are compiled, please stop by the library.
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My neighbor works in the library. She told me how the patrons were counted.
The compilation is : number from electronic door counter divided by 2.
If that is incorrect, have Mrs. Kafasis post the formula here or on the library website. |
If this is true then it does count the mailman and students, etc. |
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anon-p1o3
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| Posted: Fri, Mar 13 2015, 7:47 am EDT Post subject: Re: Library Space Constraints: Fact or Fiction? |
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| m.a. buonarotti-51nq wrote: | | Why not just add on to the exisiting library? It wouldnt be easy, but it would cost MUCH less than building a new one.......no? I like the idea of the school kids having access to a library. It may help them to read more. |
Good idea. The current footprint of the library is about 1500 square feet larger than the interior space. If the library needs more space, they could add a wall to the existing footprint, similar to a closed in porch.
Also, look around the library the next time you are there. There are a number of ways the existing space could be used more effectively.
Imagine how nice our current library could be if the Library board spent some of the $600,000 of tax money on renovations, instead of siphoning that money off to the construction fund!
Save Our Library! |
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anon-0qqn
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| Posted: Fri, Mar 13 2015, 9:56 am EDT Post subject: Renovate the Library |
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How about a second floor with elevator ? Reworking the space is also a great idea. The school has several computer rooms that were created from empty class rooms. Why can't the two large library class rooms be relocated into the school ? Class sizes are down and several class rooms are not being used.
It would be great to see a cost study prepared (with some of the earmarked funds) to determine if it was possible to renovate and add to the existing library to meet future needs. There may be enough funds in place already to accomplish goals set forth. |
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anon-4rs9
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| Posted: Fri, Mar 13 2015, 5:27 pm EDT Post subject: Re: Library Space Constraints: Fact or Fiction? |
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These various ideas about renovations all have merit. However, they share one fatal flaw in the eyes of the library board... They don't want to build a new library to get more space , they want to build a new library to get their own space. They think that sharing space with your kids is annoying and they want us to give them millions of dollars so they won't have to deal with those noisy brats anymore.
SOL |
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anon-0o99
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| Posted: Sat, Mar 14 2015, 12:30 pm EDT Post subject: Re: Library Space Constraints: Fact or Fiction? |
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*Can't build a second story - school building will not support it.
*Can't digitize all non-fiction books - copyright laws
*There are two libraries existing in the same space
*Master Plan has had separate library in plans for over 30 years
*We should applaud this group who are getting this done, if at no additional cost to the taxpayer, very little.
Written in the Cranbury Public Library on the public computers. |
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anon-4p81
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| Posted: Sat, Mar 14 2015, 4:59 pm EDT Post subject: Re: Library Space Constraints: Fact or Fiction? |
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Will there be a negative budget impact to the school if the library moves out? Is the Community Library subsidizing the School Library in any way? Who owns the books, computers, etc?
Long term it is mathematically impossible for 2 libraries to cost the same as one library, IMHO. |
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anon-052s
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| Posted: Sat, Mar 14 2015, 10:28 pm EDT Post subject: Re: Library Space Constraints: Fact or Fiction? |
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| anon-4p81 wrote: | Will there be a negative budget impact to the school if the library moves out? Is the Community Library subsidizing the School Library in any way? Who owns the books, computers, etc?
Long term it is mathematically impossible for 2 libraries to cost the same as one library, IMHO. |
Yes. The school will lose about $60,000 per year in rent, plus whatever additional resources will need to be purchased. |
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anon-npo2
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| Posted: Sun, Mar 15 2015, 8:01 am EDT Post subject: Re: Library Space Constraints: Fact or Fiction? |
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The rent paid to the school is more a reimbursement of expenses. $30,000.00 is for the specially licensed custodian who has to be on duty while the library is open and the school is not.
The other $30,000.00 is for utilities used when the libraryl is open and the school is not. In other words, when the public library moves out, those expenses go away. No loss to the school.
About other costs: in past years, the school was not able to spend all they had budgeted for their school library due to lack of space. The school may decide to spend more because the school library does not meet NJ standards.
The school owns about half of the children's books. They have their own computers, furniture, staff. |
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