28 September, 2010
The following is an open letter sent to the Board of Selectmen of the Town of Hopkinton in support of a new Library.
Dear Selectmen of the Town of Hopkinton:
We are writing to urge the Board of Selectmen to proceed with plans to apply for a State Construction Library Construction Grant for a new library in Hopkinton.
We have become complacent with our library; accepting all of its obvious flaws despite the reality: Twenty years after the ADA, our library is not fully handicapped accessible. Restrooms are not handicapped accessible. Seventeen stairs (and 2 landings) to access the children’s room limit the access of both children with mobility impairment, as well as families with young children.
At 5,000 square feet, the library cannot meet the needs of our community of 15,000 residents. While Hopkinton continues to grow, the library has run out of space, and is not equipped to service patrons in the 21st Century. The current library lacks adequate space for not only traditional books, but also multi-media, computers, quiet study areas, and teen and children’s rooms.
As a result, many Hopkinton residents use libraries in neighboring towns that have superior facilities and are easier to access.
An independent architect, working with a town-appointed Permanent Building Committee, has studied the various options for the new library, and has recommended that the Hopkinton construct a new, stand-alone library on the land behind Center School. This option provides the most efficient building, flexible design, sufficient access and parking, and is the most cost-effective. The new library would be constructed only after Center School is replaced. Although all of the issues regarding moving the library have not yet been settled, we believe that Hopkinton can work out those issues simultaneously with pursuing a Library Construction Grant, which is due in January 2011.
If the Hopkinton is awarded a Library Construction Grant, the state would fund up to 50% of the cost of construction. In order to apply for the Grant, the Hopkinton must submit a schematic design of a proposed library located at a specific site. Residents will decide whether to approve the proposal for a new Library at 2 separate Town Meetings. First, in the Spring of 2011, residents will vote on whether to approve the site and schematic design of the proposed new library. Second, in the Fall of 2011, residents will vote on whether to pay the town’s portion (25%) of the cost of the library. (The final 25% would be funded through private donations.) These two separate votes provide more than adequate assurance that the Hopkinton residents accept and approve a new Library.
By applying for the grant in January, Hopkinton has everything to gain, and nothing to lose. Professional fees for the Library Feasibility Study and Schematic Design are being donated by the Library Trustees, and it costs nothing to apply for the grant.
If we delay, Hopkinton will pay more for a new Library, and the State may not fund library construction for several years. Library Construction projects are not funded by the State Legislature at regular intervals, and this grant money may not become available again for five years or more! Meanwhile, construction costs will go up (at a rate of around 4% per year) – making a new library more expensive in the future. The fact that Hopkinton may not have access to this opportunity again makes it crucial that Hopkinton apply for a Library Construction Grant in the current grant cycle.
We believe that Hopkinton, a closely knit community with superior schools, top-notch public safety, as well as of beautiful open spaces, should provide its residents with facilities for its public library that the community deserves.
Very truly yours,
Laura Barry
Maureen Belger
John Belger
Cindy Bernardo
Christine Coffman
Esther Driscoll
Melissa Ewing
Amy Ritterbusch
Cc: Town Manager, Town of Hopkinton
