Voters turn page on library proposal

[Star Ledger]

$4.5M idea fails in S. Plainfield
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
BY SHARON ADARLO
Star-Ledger Staff

The majority of South Plainfield voters rejected a proposal to build a new library during a week-long referendum to gauge public support for the $4.5 million project.

The library project was defeated 673-489 in a nonbinding vote during "Democracy Week," a referendum exercise that the Republican-majority council revived recently.

Residents who voted for the plan tended to be from families with younger children or senior citizens who frequent the current library, said Joann Graf, borough clerk. But more than 100 voters who turned down the library expressed concerns about tax increases, while others were not happy with the proposed plan.

"We vowed before the week started that we'd abide by the re sults, and the council should listen to the voters," said council president Robert Bengivenga, a Republican.

But Mayor Charles Butrico, a Democrat, said he was disappointed that the project was shelved and questioned whether the vote was an accurate sampling of residents' opinions.

South Plainfield has more than 12,000 registered voters and Bu trico said less than 10 percent cast ballots last week. Butrico said town officials will look over comments left by voters and discuss the re sults.

The library project was slated to go to bid late last year, but was postponed after council elections brought Republican control with a four-to-two majority. The town has already spent $700,000 on engineering and architecture plans, as well as the purchase of the land two doors down from borough hall.

Architects had designed a traditional-style library. The first floor featured a new children's room, a craft classroom for kids, two quiet- study rooms and an expanded sec tion for books on tape and movies. The accounting and library director office were slated to be on the first floor. The mezzanine level would have had staff offices and a large meeting room to accommodate 90 people for lectures and special programs.

The new building would have been approximately 15,000 square feet -- more than twice the existing 6,200-square-foot library on Plainfield Avenue, less than a mile from the proposed new location.

South Plainfield officials decided to build a library after residents complained that the existing facility did not have enough space for the children's programs. The existing library was often swamped with children during special programs, library officials said. Adults trying to read newspapers or magazines have had to share space with the children. Bigger events had to be staged at the senior center instead of the library, which was built in the 1960s.

Money for the building would have come from the county and fundraisers. Graf said grant money had fallen through and any additional funding would have had to be generated through a bond sale.

Republicans decided to hold "Democracy Week," a referendum exercise to gauge people's opinion on projects that cost $1 million or more, Graf said. South Plainfield has held a "Democracy Day" several times before from 1994 to 2001, Graf said.

Though voters turned down the library, Bengivenga said the council is willing to work with the library and address its needs.

http://www.nj.com/starledger/stories/index.ssf?/base/news-3/12106533837840.xml&coll=1

[Cranbury Conservative]

South Plainfield has a great idea with regard to Democracy Week

"a referendum exercise to gauge people's opinion on projects that cost $1 million or more"

Perhaps this is something we should consider in Cranbury?

[Guest]

My view about library in the 21st century: people will visit less because of the popularity of the Internet and digital media. I can access most newspapers from the net. When I am looking for info or a book, I check out the Internet first, not a local library. Once I know that the library has the book I want, I make a reservation online and pick it up when it is available. And, Amazon has a digital book reader called Kindle. If it becomes the trend, people will download books from the Internet.

If the township is trying to draw people to the Main St. region, using a new library is a mistake, and will hurt the region in the long run (less people to visit in the future as digital delivery will be the way to distribute info and knowledge).

[Kirstie Venanzi]

Myth: Libraries are used less today.

FACT:
Cranbury Public library usage is up 55 percent over the past nine years. Nationally, library use is up 28 percent, as reported by a recent study by the ALA. People are taking out books in records numbers, accessing databases, borrowing music, film and more from the library.

Myth:
Public libraries would not draw more people into town.

FACT:
The Project for Public Spaces, Library of Congress, Urban Libraries Council and many other studie state that public libraries boost local retail as they bring residents and visitors into the town location.

We may all have our opinions about the PNC purchase, but please let us not disparage libraries. They are valuable to our community.

Kirstie S. Venanzi, MLIS
Resident, Librarian, and Member
Library Board of Trustees
Cranbury

[Guest]

[Guest]

If I want to borrow DVDs, I go to the Plainsboro library. In Cranbury, I pay $1 per DVD; in Plainsboro, I pay $0 for 3 DVDs per checkout.

I doubt that the Cranbury library (regardless of how good it can be on the PNC site) will be able to compete with the $15+ million new Plainsboro library.

The Cranbury library has an edge because it is so easily accessible by our school kids. Once a new school library takes its place, the "new PNC Cranbury Library" will have no edge at all.

[James]

[Guest]

[Guest]

"1) In terms of usage being up 55% how is that derived? Does it include the internet usage which would mean that the vistor count is not actually that high. Not that it really matters because we don't know the starting point and a 55% increase with the town still means that there is room in the existing location. The statistic is good though as it shows that people are using a valuable resource. "

Good point. Many people visiting the library are there to use the PCs for Internet access.

[Cranbury Conservative]

A few items to note....

First I was just in the library and other then a few children in the library it was empty. Not that this is an in-depth study of usage, it’s just a small sample. Possibly others could note the same on the board. This may add credence to the internet usage driving the library numbers and not actual in the door visits.

Second the library has a blog and on it they have "May 19th Township Committee Meeting and Library Facts” This makes it very obvious the library is pushing to use the PNC Bank Property. As I have stated else where on this board this idea has no plan behind it, no fiscal responsibility and goes against the 2007 recreation plan which targets property adjacent to the school for such a purpose as a library and public parking.

I do not understand the urgency to spend the taxpayers of Cranbury's money on wants and not needs?

The library blog can be found at:

http://cranburypl.wordpress.com/2008/05/12/may-19th-township-committee-meeting-and-library-facts/

[Kirstie Venanzi]

The library usage figure does indeed include computer usage when one is actually in the library because libraries today are not just books, but all forms of information. If you have any questions about how the statistics are derived, please visit our library and ask Ms. Mullen.

I must state here emphatically that this idea of the PNC purchase is not being pushed by the library or the board of trustees. As part of the board, I can say that we are trying very hard to work on our library as it is and make it the best library possible. However, libraries have a hard time bragging when things go well and also have a hard time complaining when things do not go as well. The truth is that the library is crowded. Maybe it is not crowded at every second of the day, but we do not have room for our current collection of books and may weed books (cull the collection) if they have not circulated in 2 years. Most libraries do not consider doing this weeding until after a book has not circulated in five year. This is just one example.

My only aim here is to get the facts out there so that we can give this issue intelligent consideration.

Would all responders please have the courtesy to sign with a name?
Thank you.

[Cranbury Conservative]

If "the idea of the PNC purchase is not being pushed by the library or the board of trustees", then why have on the library blog the "May 19th Township Committee Meeting and Library Facts"?

Why would the library need to have facts for the meeting if it does not intend to occupy the PNC building?

Your argument does not make sense.

[James]

Ms. Venanzi,

Let me clarify, I was wondering if the 55% usage included people accessing the Cranbury library web page. Certainly, I would assume it would count people entering the library.

If I were to guess a random sampling was taken, hits on the webpage and a guess that an average patron checks out x number of books. Divide the average by individual by total number of loans made last year and you have your 55%. As I said it doesn't matter because that should not be a factor in the purchase equation given our town's size. Just curious...

I'll ask Ms. Mullen the next time I see her.

Thanks.

[Kirstie Venanzi]

The 55% is only patrons coming through the door (counted by an electronic eye). Website hits are a separate statistic that is reported in the Technology report. I summarized the hits/year below.

CPL Website Hits per year
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
71,574 104,280 115,088 87,554 190,481

Marilynn G. Mullen
Director, Cranbury Public Library
23 North Main St.
Cranbury, NJ 08512
609-655-0555

mullen@CranburyPublicLibrary.org

[traveler]

Will there be a keynote speaker representing the library relative to "Library Facts"? In other words, how will that topic be presented?

[Guest]

I keep hearing from various people that Cranbury has the money, but nobody knows who or what special interest group has it.

I hope someone knows the answers:
1. how can our township have the money when we have a $23 million debt that was shown in our 2008 budget statement?

2. Does the Township think they have the money by raising our taxes - that's how it's figured we have the money.

3. Does the township have the money by getting another loan, thus adding to our overall debt?

4. Does the library have the money?

5. Does the nonprofit group,Friends of the Cranbury library, have the money.

6. Is there a private investor?

Perhaps this is a rumor. I hope someone can shed the light.