City Council Gives Final Approval for Central Library Project

On Monday October 6, 2008, Kitchener City Council gave final approval for the Central Library project. The Library Board will now begin work on the design of a renovated and expanded Main Library.

We look forward to sharing with you detailed design plans for the Central Library in the coming year.

Thank you for your support of the library project.

The Record: Build A Library The City Can Be Proud Of

(Reprinted from The Record)

“After years of discussion, even dithering, Kitchener city council has voted to spend almost $36 million to expand and renovate its main library. This decision is welcome.

[...]

The city should make the expanded, renovated library an attractive, inviting space. In the so-called knowledge economy, it's vital to invest in the material, and the tools such as computers, to build that knowledge.

The library is not just a readily available, free source of information; it is a conduit for culture, a key player in the battle against illiteracy, a way for job seekers to hone their skills, for parents to spark a love of reading in their young children, for new immigrants to connect to their adopted home.

[...]

The library is an essential service in a modern society, and its expansion -- long overdue in a structure built to serve a population of about 76,000 -- should not be saddled with a penny-pinching, nickel-and-dime approach.

Money should not be stinted on design. It is not enough to simply take an aging building, tack on a workmanlike addition, and stuff it with as many books and computers as the budget will allow. The addition must be an inviting, comfortable, usable space.

Simply put, build the library the city needs and deserves, within a reasonable budget.”

Read the full article here

Central Library Project Approved

Thank you for your support!!

The Finance and Corporate Services Committee voted yesterday to approve the library's plan to renovate and expand the Main Library on Queen Street.

The Library Board recommended to Council a modified Option 2 for the Central Library renovation and expansion plan.

The next step will be final approval from City Council on Monday October 6, 2008 Council Chambers City Hall, 7:00 p.m.

Support Your Library

Show your continued support for the Central Library project by attending the library presentation to Finance and Corporate Service Committee on September 29, 2008. The Kitchener Public Library Board and city staff will present funding scenarios to address the funding shortfalls associated with two of the three options for renovation and expansion of the Main Library.

On May 12, 2008 the Kitchener Public Library Board presented a Central Library project update to the Finance and Corporate Services Committee. The update included three options for revitalizing the current Main Library. The Finance and Corporate Services Committee resolved:

“That Kitchener City Council allocate the $32.5 M previously earmarked from the Economic Development Investment Fund towards funding the Kitchener Public Library’s (KPL) renovation and expansion of the existing Main Library on its current location (85 Queen Street North); and,

That Kitchener City Council direct KPL staff to work with City Finance staff to bring back a report in September 2008 outlining a financial plan for funding Options 2 and 3, as outlined in KPL’s report dated May 12, 2008; and further,

That Kitchener City Council direct KPL staff to continue work on a joint parking solution with City staff and other organizations located in the Civic District area.”

On September 29, 2008, KPL and City Finance staff will outline a financial plan for funding the Central Library Project Options 2 and 3.

Show your support and attend the Finance and Corporate Services Committee meeting on Monday September 29 at Kitchener City Hall.

Finance and Corporate Service Committee meeting - September 29, Kitchener City Hall Council Chambers 1:30 p.m.

Central Library Funding Options - Report to Finance and Corporate Services Committee - Joint Report

Central Library Funding Options - Report to Finance and Corporate Services Committee - KPL Report

Postcard Campaign a Success

Thank you to the 2,700 community members who signed postcards to let City Council know they support the library's plans to renovate and expand the Main Library.
Our postcard campaign has officially ended, however it is never too late to let City Council know that there is community support for the Central Library Project - write a letter, send an email, or phone the Mayor or your member of Council

The Record: Library Building Should Make a Bold Statement

(Reprinted from The Record)

"Kitchener's main library should be the intellectual centre of the city. It should be a cherished asset, an indispensable information centre. The building should make a bold statement that Kitchener is part of the information age in which we are living...

Like a good book cover, the new library building should draw readers into it and make them feel that the words in the interior will enchant them. Going to the library should be an adventure; it should be more than driving to a grocery store to pick up milk. The library expansion should be built not just with bricks and mortar but with pride."

Read the entire article here

The Record: A Great Library Should be City's Top Priority

(Reprinted from The Record)

"Life in the 21st century will be good, for workers who are educated and adaptable, and for citizens who are informed. The 21st century library is therefore an essential building block for the modern economy and the modern community. Knowing this, Kitchener council should be trying to create the best main branch library for the public that it possibly can. An investment in this library is an investment in the people and their future."

Read the entire article here

Council Formally Approves $32.5M

At the May 12, 2008, Finance and Corporate Service Committee, Council approved the allocation of $32.5M towards renovating and expanding the current Main Library. Support from Council on this motion was unanimous. Council further directed KPL and City staff to work on a funding plan for Options 2 and 3 with a goal of reporting back to Council in September 2008.

Thank you for helping KPL reach this important first milestone.

Finance and Corporate Services Committe Minutes - May 12, 2008

Public Presentation at Finance and Corporate Service Committee

rych mills, President of the Waterloo Historical Society, addressed the Finance and Corporate Service Committee and expressed his support for the Central Library project:

(reprinted courtesy of rych mills)

"The current library is nearing the age of the Carnegie Library when it had served its time but 85 Queen North is ready-aye-ready to give many more years of service and the best way to keep it a vital part of not only the downtown but of the entire city and region is to give it the best 'second-life' possible. As a lifeling resident of Kitchener-Waterloo, mostly in this core area of Kitchener, I can recall the old library at Queen and Weber. Libraries were much different then and a young boy certainly tiptoed with sealed lips through the shelves. There is little tiptoeing and few sealed lips nowadays, but that is change. There are future authors, researchers, scientists, business leaders, perhaps even politicians curled up in a chair at 85 Queen North right now as I speak, captured by a book. We must ensure there is proper room for that book, for that chair, for that person.

The councillors of that early 60s era saw the future and took the necessary steps to ensure Kitchener residents had the best possible resource center/library. My old main library, the Carnegie, was gladly discarded to embrace this new, spacious, wide aisled, brightly-lit library, my new library.

Like most citizens, I believe, I think the library is the closest thing I feel that I own in the city as a citizen. I can enter those doors and I can end up anywhere in the world. I can listen to the greatest minds of our civilization talking to me. I can dream of the future or wallow in the past...

Those coucillors of five decades ago had a vision and created a structure which took us form the 19th century into the 20th. I am confident that our current councillors can take a similar step to move our library into the 21th century. Please support Option Three."

Read the entire presentation here.

Meg Crawford spoke about her passion for the library and her support for the library's plan to renovate and expand the Main Library:

(reprinted courtesy of Meg Crawford)

"It is not an overstatement to say that my experience of living in Kitchener has been hugely enhanced by my experience as a regular library user and I'm grateful that I discovered it right at the beginning of my time here. I always spread the word to friends and co-workers about the great things that are there for you at the library...

I encourage the Council to give this community a first-class library that will meet our needs for many years to come, which I believe is the 3rd option... I envision our new main library as a place that would draw people from all over the city to attend programs, or to sit in the cafe and browse through books and magazines, or to use the computer terminals for Internet access."

Read the entire presentation here.

Support Your Library

On Monday, May 12 the Kitchener Public Library Board will ask City Council to approve funds that have been set aside for enhancing the Main Library on Queen Street. Your support is essential. Please let Council know Kitchener needs an enhanced central library.

Show your support
Attend the Finance and Corporate Services Committee meeting

Monday May 12
Kitchener City Hall Council Chambers
2:00 p.m.

Finance and Corporate Services Committee Agenda – Monday May 12, 2008

Kitchener Public Library Central Library Project Update

The Record: Kitchener Should Expand Its Library

(Reprinted courtesy of The Record)

"There is no better way for a city to spend public money than to invest in public libraries. In this electronic age where information bursts through wires at the speed of light, the public library is the great equalizer, the great conveyor of literacy, culture, knowledge and thought to everyone -- regardless of who they are, where they live or how rich they may be ..."

Read the entire article here

Help Shape The Future Of Your Library

The Kitchener Public Library Board has been working on a plan to expand and renovate the current Main Library. The vision is to create a vibrant and welcoming community gathering place: an attractive, comfortable place where community members can come together to imagine, discover and connect.

Public feedback will help ensure the library remains a vibrant public space that continues to meet the needs of this growing community.

We would like to invite you to fill out a short survey, to help us understand the things most important to you, as a library customer.

Click here to take the survey.

The survey is now closed. Thank you to all who participated!

Options for the Renovation and Expansion of the Central Library

The current Main Library on Queen Street was built in 1962 and no longer adequately meets this community’s growing demand for library resources and services. The Kitchener Public Library Board has been working on a plan to renovate and expand the Main Library. Three possible options for renovation and/or expansion have been developed.

Option 1 - Renovation

Construction	$ 16,000,000
Fees, Equipment, and Collections	$   4,000,000
Underground Parking	$   6,000,000

FEATURES

• Complete renovation
  
• Refreshed and updated interior spaces
  
• Improved layout of library services
  
• Services to children consolidated in child friendly space
  
• Greater flexibility to accommodate technology
  
• Increased energy efficiency
  
• Current 44 public parking spaces maintained

LIMITATIONS

• Limited space for future growth in library collections and resources
  
• Minimal increase in the number of public computer workstations
  
• Accessibility issues only partially addressed
  
• Need for additional space and parking not addressed

  View Option 1 Floor Plan

Image not displaying properly? View as PDF

Option 2 - Renovation and 30,000 sf Addition

Construction	$ 24,000,000
Fees, Equipment, and Collections	$   7,000,000
Underground Parking	$   8,000,000

FEATURES

• Complete renovation and 37% increase in total space
  
• Refreshed and updated interior spaces
  
• Library collections increase 20%
  
• Public computer workstations increase 60%
  
• Services to children consolidated in child friendly space
  
• Greater flexibility to accommodate technology
  
• Increased energy efficiency

LIMITATIONS

• Minimal increase to space for public seating and studying
  
• Accessibility issues only partially addressed
  
• Future growth needs not fully addressed
  
• Parking needed

  View Option 2 Floor Plan

Image not displaying properly? View as PDF

Option 3 - Renovation and 54,400 sf Addition

Construction	$ 32,000,000
Fees, Equipment, and Collections	$ 11,000,000
Underground Parking	$   8,000,000

FEATURES

• Complete renovation and 66% increase in total space
  
• Refreshed and updated interior spaces
  
• Library collections increase 46%
  
• Public computer workstations increase 168%
  
• Reading lounge expanded, additional space for seating and studying
  
• Services to children consolidated in child friendly space
  
• Future space for collection growth and new services accommodated
  
• Fully accessible building
  
• Meets highest standards for energy efficiency

LIMITATIONS

• Parking needed

  View Option 3 Floor Plan

Image not displaying properly? View as PDF

Artist's Conceptual Design

Please note that this is not a final design, but rather one possible representation of a renovated and expanded Central Library.

  View Conceptual Design

An Invitation to Shape the Future of Your Library

The Kitchener Public Library Board has been working on a plan to expand and renovate the current Main Library. The vision is to create a vibrant and welcoming community gathering place: an attractive, comfortable place where community members can come together to imagine, discover and connect.

The Library Board would like to invite you to attend a public information session on April 15 or April 23 to learn how renovation and expansion options for the current Main Library can achieve this vision.

The Kitchener Public Library contributes significantly to the City’s quality of life. Learn more about the Central Library project and ensure the library remains a vibrant public space that continues to meet the needs of this growing community. We will share with you three options for renovation and expansion of the current Main Library, with projected costs. You will have an opportunity to ask questions and share your vision for the Central Library.

Press Conference & Public Forum
Tuesday April 15 at 4:00 p.m.
Main Library, Reading Lounge
85 Queen St. N.

OR

Public Forum
Wednesday April 23 at 7:00 p.m.
Main Library, Schnieder Room
85 Queen St. N.

For more information, and to complete an online survey on the Central Library project, please visit our website at www.kpl.org.

Please Note:
The online survey will be available after April 15th, 2008.

Your Main Library Needs A Facelift

The Main Library on Queen Street is one of the city’s busiest services, averaging over 1,000 visits per day. You have told us you like this location and the services we offer. We can make the Main Library even better by renovating and expanding.

With your support we can transform this 46 year old building and create a special destination in this city. Imagine a place with:

• Expanded collections of books, CDs and DVDs


• More foreign language resources for new Canadians


• Three times as many computers for accessing information


• Free wireless access for laptops users


• Comfortable areas to sit, read or study


• Group study rooms and a unique space for teens


• A children’s discovery area and storytime room


• A café, art displays, lectures and cultural events


• Environmentally friendly, green building measures


• The same great staff to assist you

All this and more could be available at the Main Library. In May the Kitchener Public Library Board will ask City Council to approve funds that have been set aside for enhancing the Main Library. Your support will be essential.

Help us keep pace with community, cultural and technological changes. Join us at our public meetings. Visit our web site. Let Council know Kitchener needs an enhanced central library.


Why is a renovation/expansion necessary?


Video: Take a walking tour of the Main Library with Mike Farwell from Farwell Live!

Overcrowded collection with limited room to grow Inadequate facilities for the storage of archival collections High shelves with narrow aisles create accessibility challenges Insufficient computer terminals to meet increasing demand

Library Offers Much More Than Just Books

The following is an excerpt from the article "Library Offers Much More Than Just Books", which appears in the March/April 2008 edition of Your Kitchener magazine.

It’s a service that often flies under the radar – with few people realizing its many elements fulfill the educational, recreational and social needs of thousands of Kitchener residents on a daily basis.

In fact, 3,400 people visit at least one of its different locations across the community each day – making it one of the city’s busiest resources. Yet, there’s a common perception in the community that its popularity is passé… that the ever-expanding world of technology has lessened its worth.

That couldn’t be farther from the truth, says Sonia Lewis, chief executive officer of the Kitchener Public Library (KPL) system.

“The KPL is still one of the most heavily used city services,” she said. “More than half of Kitchener’s residents are library card holders; and in 2007, more than two million items were checked out of our libraries across the city.”

By items, Lewis means everything from books and reports to CDs and DVDs.

“We offer a lot more than just books,” she said. “While books are still very important and in high demand, we also offer efficient electronic services to help people find the information they need; a skilled staff who are always willing to assist visitors who may not know how to use some of our services; and a variety of programs – something for every age level."

[...]

Given the library’s universal usefulness and appeal, many people are changing their perception of the facility.

“There are still some people who still equate the library with books only, and they see it as a place their grandparents like to go,” Lewis said. “But that’s just not the case.

“We offer something for everyone – no matter who you are or how old you are.”

For example, the library recently hosted a Nintendo Wii tournament for youth.

“Our research has told us that gaming does help with reading and literacy skills,” Lewis said. “It proved to be an extraordinary way to draw teenagers through our doors; and when they were here, they got to see what else we have to offer and interact with others their age.”

Other efforts -- such as organizing community outreach work, which sees library volunteers deliver books to shut-ins and staff make presentations at local schools; promoting the work of local artists; providing contest opportunities for young writers; and offering interesting speaker series and film viewings -- continue to highlight the facility’s services to the community.

“There’s no question that the library contributes to the quality of life in Kitchener; and more and more people are realizing what we bring to the table,” Lewis said.

“You won’t find anyone ‘shushing’ you here – something many people still associate with libraries.

“We are encouraging people to come here, have fun and enjoy themselves. That’s what makes us the dynamic, lively environment that we are.”

Click here to read the full article (pdf)

A Vision For The Future

The Kitchener Public Library Board has been planning to expand and renovate the current Main Library in the near future, and build a new branch in southwest Kitchener by 2016. We also continuously explore ways of taking library services out into the community through special events, school visits and partnerships with other organizations.

The Main Library was built to serve a population of 73,000. To keep up with city-wide and downtown growth, the Main Library needs to expand. And yes, the city also needs branch libraries. Long range planning takes that into account.

The Main Library has a dual role. It supports the neighbourhood libraries by providing specialized collections, resources, services and staff. It also serves as a branch library for the residents and businesses located in the downtown area. Its services are in high demand. There are over 1,000 visits per day to the Main Library.

There is no doubt that technology and Internet access are changing the way KPL does business. The Internet has not rendered the traditional library obsolete. In fact technology has extended KPL’s reach and made operations more efficient. We are able to offer you 24/7 access to resources from your home, office or school. Many residents depend on KPL for free access to computers, the Internet, downloadable books, electronic databases and software. Our staff plays a key role in teaching information literacy skills and helping you find the information you need.

Technology creates new challenges for our buildings. They need to be flexible in design to accommodate technological change. They need to support traditional computer cabling, as well as wireless access. Space is needed to provide more public computers and workspaces. The Main Library is now 46 years old and was not designed with the latest technology in mind, nor is there space to add more public computers. A renovation and expansion can help address these challenges.

A study completed last year showed that it is possible to add space to the back of the current Main Library. By renovating the existing space we can make it more efficient, flexible and accessible. We will be sharing the details of that study with you this spring. We will show you how the current building can be transformed to meet the community’s needs. We will share projected costs and answer questions you may have. We will be looking for your support for this project, when we take our proposal to City Council in late Spring, 2008.

Today’s Main Library is a valued and well used community resource. However, it is crowded and showing its age. Space limitations mean we cannot add to our collections, computers and services. The KPL Board’s vision is to create a vibrant and welcoming community gathering place. We envisage an attractive, comfortable place where community members will come together to imagine, discover and connect.

Main Library Facts

• Current building is 46 years old
  
  
• Built for a population of 73,000 and now serves over 213,000 residents
  
  
• Supports a network of 4 branch libraries and community outreach initiatives
  
  
• Branch library for the residents and businesses located in the downtown area
  

This Month at KPL’s Main Library

• 30,000 people will visit the library
  
• 93,000 items will be borrowed
  
• 580 library cards will be issued
  
• 5,000 reference questions will be answered
  
• 3,200 people will attend library programs
  
• 5,500 computer reservations will be made
  

Growing Through The Years

1884 ... Berlin Reading Room established

1902 ... Berlin Public Library opens

1962 ... New Main Library on current site (85 Queen St. N.) opens

1971 ... Grand River Stanley Park Branch opens

1976 ... Forest Heights Branch opens

1979 ... Main Branch addition and renovation

1982 ... Pioneer Park Branch opens

1989 ... Pioneer Park Branch moves to a new library facility

1992 ... Forest Heights Branch addition and renovation

1994 ... Main Branch addition and renovation

1999 – present ... Planning for a new Central Library

2002 ... Grand River Stanley Park Branch moves to a new library facility

2004 ... Country Hills Branch opens

2016 ... New branch in southwest opens

Background

The need for a new library to meet the community’s growing demand for library resources and services was first identified in 1999. The current library was built in 1962 and no longer adequately meets the needs of Kitchener’s estimated 213,305 residents.

The Kitchener Public Library commissioned a series of studies and assessments of the Main Library and solicited public feedback regarding a new Central Library from 2000 – 2003.

In September 2004, the Kitchener Public Library presented City Council with a business case documenting the need for a new Central Library. An improved and expanded Central Library would allow KPL to address the need for:

• Space for Services and Programs – The format and display of collections and library resources continues to change and space allocations must be flexible to accommodate new and expanded services and programs.
  
  
• Services for Teens and Children – Crowded and outdated areas for teens and children work against the changing role of the public library as a desired destination.
  
  
• Accessibility – The current Main Library meets the minimum requirements of the building code but does not reach the standards indicated in the City of Kitchener’s Accessibility Plan. The new Accessibility for Ontarians with Disability Act will introduce customer service regulations that will challenge the library’s accessibility standards.
  
  
• Ambience – A library can provide access to wonderful collections, programs, and services, but if the atmosphere is not inviting and comfortable, people will not visit and linger.
  
  
• Building and Technology Infrastructure - The Main Library is now a 45 year old building with aging building and mechanical systems. The technology needs of a modern library are challenged by an inflexible technology infrastructure.

In 2005, the City of Kitchener committed up to $32.5 M towards the construction of a new Central Library. KPL contracted with Levitt Goodman Architects and Phillip Carter Architect to finalize the Library Building Program, to prepare conceptual drawings for a new Central Library, and to provide a cost estimate for the project.

In May 2006, the City of Kitchener held a Centre Block Citizen Forum to solicit public feedback on the development of the Centre Block. There was support for an “improved and enhanced central library”. Members of the Citizen’s Forum did agree that “the library needs support and an enhancement of services”:

• A strong central library is critical
  
  
• Library services need to be expanded
  
  
• There needs to be a redefinition of what a library is ... to include a broad offering of services
  
  
• A strong central library is the anchor to a strong branch system.

The community expressed support for an expanded and improved Main Library on the current site.

In 2007, KPL initiated a study with Levitt Goodman Architect to access to what degree the existing Main Library building and site could meet KPL’s future space and functional requirements. After careful study and evaluation of the current Main Library facility and site, the architect’s findings indicate:

• There is space on the existing library site to expand
  
  
• A renovated and expanded Main Library can meet the space and functional requirements identified by the library and community
  
  
• Adding additional library space will allow for services, collections and programs to be reorganized and expanded.