The Grand Forks Regional Library Board is considering options for the future of the Grand Forks Public Library, including renovating or possibly expanding the library building, adding branch locations or building a new main library building.
The library board is in the process of putting together a task force to study recommendations for how the library will function in the next three to five years, said Susan Mickelson, president of the library board. She said the task force is expected to look at options for new or renovated facilities but stressed that they may come back with different options for improving the library.
The library moved to its current facility on Library Lane off South Washington Street in 1972 from its former downtown Carnegie Library location. A major renovation was completed in 1987, when part of the second floor was added. Originally, plans called for two complete stories, but the renovation never was finished after being put off as a result of the 1997 flood.
"We have the opportunity to do this once in a lifetime," Mickelson said of addressing the facilities' needs. "There was the intention to revisit it after 25 years. After 25 years, it was 1997, smack dab in the middle of when the flood hit. It wasn't a good time, and it has been put off for 11 years since."
Mickelson said library board members will come to the board's Aug. 14 meeting with names of potential members to complete the 12 to 15 member task force. She said the plan is to hire a consultant to help and to receive a recommendation on the library's future from the task force by summer 2009.
ADVERTISEMENT
Mickelson said the task force also will look at options for funding and maintaining whatever course of action it proposes.
"We need to be systematic about how we do it," she said. "We can't just propose new facilities without having something in place."
Mickelson said some of the constraints of the library building include limited parking, low visibility and the need to retrofit its heating and air conditioning units to make them more energy efficient.
Schuster covers business. Reach him at (701) 780-1107; (800) 477-6572, ext. 107; or send e-mail to rschuster@gfherald.com . Read his business blog at www.areavoices.com/bizbuzz .
