The building buck doesn't stop here. (library buildings 2002).

RUMORS TO THE CONTRARY, the bucks for library capital improvement projects don't seem to be stopping anywhere or any time soon. The 212 public library buildings (completed between July 1, 2001 and June 30, 2002) cost more than $788.4 million. If libraries aren't alive and well, our nationwide accounting system needs an audit.

In many cases, we are seeing the results of previously approved bond issues. Our cover project, the Ypsilanti District Library, MI ($15.1M, 60,000 s.f.), was financed by a $17M referenda. Assistant Director Kathleen Evans Daly described the complex task of winning funds in her working-class community, generally lost in the shadow of the more affluent Ann Arbor, and the pride residents feel in their new library.

The funding for the 101 new buildings and the 111 addition/renovation projects featured here came predominantly from local sources, to the tune of $675.5M, or 87 percent of total funding. Running a very distant second were charitable contributions/gift funds at $60M, or eight percent. Federal and state coffers totaled five percent of funding.

Total number down

Though the money seems to be abundant, the number of public library projects ties the third lowest count in 14 years. Only FY98 and FY99 had fewer total projects, with 197 and 195, respectively. Several large projects stand out this year, including the huge new Central Library of the Memphis & Shelby County Public Library and Information Center ($65.3M, 330,000 s.f.). The Cerritos Library, CA, coming in at $47M and 89,000 s.f. and the Berkeley Central Library, CA, addition/renovation at $38M, 102,000 s.f., outpaced the Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library, KS ($24.3M, 178,600 s.f.); Worcester Public Library, MA ($23.3M, 145,688 s.f.); and Riverfront Branch, Yonkers Public Library, NY ($22.8M, 70,410 s.f.).

When it comes to innovation, in terms of funding or construction, many of these projects excel. The Plymouth Public Library, IN, reaped the benefits of an Indiana state lottery. The Iberia Parish Library, New Iberia, LA, used its former bookmobile garage as a room to house a jazz collection dedicated to musician Willie "Bunk" Johnson. The new Rep. David J. Mayernik Avalon Public Library, PA, arose out of a "converted" church. Cooperative projects still satisfy the needs of many communities, with libraries cohabiting with town halls, schools, and firehouses.

It's academic

Among the 34 academic projects featured here are the Library, Research, & Information Technology Center at Nova Southeastern University, Ft. Lauderdale, FL ($44.3M, 325,000 s.f.); the E.B. House Undergraduate Library at the University of North Carolina--Chapel Hill ($11.8M, 66,000 s.f.); and the Brooklyn College, NY, addition/renovation ($72.5M, 277,650 s.f.).

While several capital projects have been put on hold owing to overall budget constraints across the country, many libraries reported approval of capital referenda in last month's elections. Nevertheless, the concerns of librarians and their communities do not stop at the threshold of a newly built or renovated structure. As many jurisdictions are now realizing, economics affects libraries beyond brick and mortar. Municipalities have conjoined with libraries to create accessible facilities and must continue to work to keep them funded.

academic

 
NEW BUILDINGS 
 
         Project              Project       Gross     Sq. Ft. 
   Name of Institution         Cost         Area       Cost 
 
Library, Research, &        $44,335,238     325,000   $109.94 
Information Technology 
Ctr., Nova Southeastern 
Univ., Ft. Lauderdale, FL 
 
Veterinary Medicine Lib.,    26,000,000     8,180 *    164.70 
Ohio State Univ., 
Columbus 
 
Ames Lib., Illinois          23,000,000     103,000    174.75 
Wesleyan Univ., 
Bloomington 
 
ACES Lib., Information       21,070,000      83,683    196.23 
& Alumni Ctr., 
Univ. of Illinois at 
Urbana-Champaign 
 
Washtenaw Community          21,000,000   62,000 **    133.00 
Coll. Lib., 
Ann Arbor, MI 
 
Biola Univ. Lib.,            16,100,000      98,000    122.34 
La Mirada, CA 
 
Wayne G. Basler Lib.,        10,990,000      58,745    173.26 
Northeast State Technical 
Community Coll., 
Blountville, TN 
 
Mission Coll. Lib.,           9,738,791      38,648    204.51 
Santa Clara, CA 
 
USM Gulf Coast Lib.,          8,477,308      54,836    139.90 
Univ. of Southern 
Mississippi-Gulf 
Coast, Long Beach 
 
Hugh & Edna White             6,560,000      38,500    137.66 
Lib., Spring Arbor 
Univ., MI 
 
Benedictine Univ.                   n/a      36,852    118.88 
Lib., Lisle, IL 
 
M.M. Bennett Lib.,            2,942,397      15,602    145.07 
St. Petersburg Coll., 
Palm Harbor, FL 
 
Music Lib., Columbus            644,040       3,740    121.00 
State Univ., GA 
 
ReCAP (Research                     n/a      69,100       n/a 
Collections & 
Preservation Consortium, 
Columbia Univ., 
New York PL, 
Princeton Univ., NJ 
 
Engineering Lib.,                   n/a      21,400       n/a 
Princeton Univ., NJ 
 
         Project             Construc-    Equipment      Book 
   Name of Institution       tion Cost       Cost      Capacity 
 
Library, Research, &        $35,729,506   $4,263,339   1,400,000 
Information Technology 
Ctr., Nova Southeastern 
Univ., Ft. Lauderdale, FL 
 
Veterinary Medicine Lib.,    18,000,000      350,000      50,000 
Ohio State Univ., 
Columbus 
 
Ames Lib., Illinois          18,000,000          n/a     400,000 
Wesleyan Univ., 
Bloomington 
 
ACES Lib., Information       16,420,750    1,420,010     163,000 
& Alumni Ctr., 
Univ. of Illinois at 
Urbana-Champaign 
 
Washtenaw Community          16,200,000    1,500,000      80,000 
Coll. Lib., 
Ann Arbor, MI 
 
Biola Univ. Lib.,            11,990,000    1,360,261     750,000 
La Mirada, CA 
 
Wayne G. Basler Lib.,        10,178,000      812,000      65,000 
Northeast State Technical 
Community Coll., 
Blountville, TN 
 
Mission Coll. Lib.,           7,903,920      735,330      59,654 
Santa Clara, CA 
 
USM Gulf Coast Lib.,          7,671,308      806,000      75,000 
Univ. of Southern 
Mississippi-Gulf 
Coast, Long Beach 
 
Hugh & Edna White             5,300,000    1,260,000     160,500 
Lib., Spring Arbor 
Univ., MI 
 
Benedictine Univ.             4,380,966          n/a         n/a 
Lib., Lisle, IL 
 
M.M. Bennett Lib.,            2,263,382      346,340      60,000 
St. Petersburg Coll., 
Palm Harbor, FL 
 
Music Lib., Columbus            452,540      191,500      16,212 
State Univ., GA 
 
ReCAP (Research                     n/a          n/a   7,000,000 
Collections & 
Preservation Consortium, 
Columbia Univ., 
New York PL, 
Princeton Univ., NJ 
 
Engineering Lib.,                   n/a          n/a     130,000 
Princeton Univ., NJ 
 
         Project            Seating 
   Name of Institution      Capacity            Architect 
 
Library, Research, &           1,500   Smallwood, Reynolds ... 
Information Technology 
Ctr., Nova Southeastern 
Univ., Ft. Lauderdale, FL 
 
Veterinary Medicine Lib.,        125   Braun & Steidl; 
Ohio State Univ.,                      Ballinger Architecture 
Columbus 
 
Ames Lib., Illinois              500   Shepley Bulfinch 
Wesleyan Univ., 
Bloomington 
 
ACES Lib., Information           361   Woollen Molzan; 
& Alumni Ctr.,                         Phillips Swager Assocs. 
Univ. of Illinois at 
Urbana-Champaign 
 
Washtenaw Community              184   Albert Kahn Assocs. 
Coll. Lib., 
Ann Arbor, MI 
 
Biola Univ. Lib.,                950   Gensler 
La Mirada, CA 
 
Wayne G. Basler Lib.,            600   Vaughn & Melton; 
Northeast State Technical              Ken Ross Architects 
Community Coll., 
Blountville, TN 
 
Mission Coll. Lib.,              400   MBT Architecture 
Santa Clara, CA 
 
USM Gulf Coast Lib.,             364   Studio South Architects 
Univ. of Southern 
Mississippi-Gulf 
Coast, Long Beach 
 
Hugh & Edna White                363   TMP Assocs. 
Lib., Spring Arbor 
Univ., MI 
 
Benedictine Univ.                n/a   Prisco, Serena, Sturm 
Lib., Lisle, IL 
 
M.M. Bennett Lib.,               201   Hoffman Architects 
St. Petersburg Coll., 
Palm Harbor, FL 
 
Music Lib., Columbus              54   Hecht, Burdeshaw ...; 
State Univ., GA                        Hardy, Holzman, Pfeiffer 
 
ReCAP (Research                  n/a   Sasaki Assocs.; 
Collections &                          Russell, Scott, Steedle ... 
Preservation Consortium, 
Columbia Univ., 
New York PL, 
Princeton Univ., NJ 
 
Engineering Lib.,                194   Pei Cobb Freed 
Princeton Univ., NJ 
 
* Part of 109,292 sq. ft. Veterinary Medicine Academic Building 
 
** Part of 131,000 sq. ft. project 
 
ADDITIONS AND RENOVATIONS 
 
                                     Project      Gross    Sq. Ft. 
Name of Institution     Status        Cost        Area      Cost 
 
Brooklyn Coll. Lib.,   Total       $72,524,000   277,650   $187.28 
  NY                   New                 n/a   105,000       n/a 
                       Renovated           n/a   172,650       n/a 
 
Walter Lib./Digital    Total        54,600,000   260,500    165.96 
  Tech Ctr., Univ.     New                 n/a    79,750       n/a 
  of Minnesota,        Renovated           n/a   180,750       n/a 
  Minneapolis 
 
Charles V. Park        Total        50,000,000   316,000     91.66 
  Lib., Central        New                 n/a   128,000    116.48 
  Michigan Univ.,      Renovated           n/a   188,000     74.76 
  Mt. Pleasant 
 
Mary Alice & Tom       Total        18,000,000    81,000    182.22 
  O'Malley Lib.,       New          12,500,000    45,000    227.78 
  Manhattan Coll.,     Renovated     5,500,000    36,000    125.28 
  Riverdale, NY 
 
DiMenna-Nyselius       Total        17,346,000   115,800    114.88 
  Lib., Fairfield      New          10,920,000    54,600    153.50 
  Univ., CT            Renovated     6,426,000    61,200     80.41 
 
Anne Potter Wilson     Total           626,490     7,714     69.55 
  Music Lib., Blair    New             490,000     4,100    100.00 
  Sch. of Music,       Renovated       136,490     3,614     35.00 
  Vanderbilt Univ., 
  Nashville 
 
                                    Construc-    Equipment      Book 
Name of Institution     Status      tion Cost       Cost      Capacity 
 
Brooklyn Coll. Lib.,   Total       $51,998,712   $2,658,800   1,688,400 
  NY                   New                 n/a          n/a         n/a 
                       Renovated           n/a          n/a         n/a 
 
Walter Lib./Digital    Total        43,232,000    1,900,000     500,000 
  Tech Ctr., Univ.     New                 n/a          n/a     400,000 
  of Minnesota,        Renovated           n/a          n/a     100,000 
  Minneapolis 
 
Charles V. Park        Total        28,963,900   10,286,600   1,319,250 
  Lib., Central        New          14,909,000          n/a   1,052,200 
  Michigan Univ.,      Renovated    14,045,900          n/a     267,050 
  Mt. Pleasant 
 
Mary Alice & Tom       Total        14,760,000      870,000     220,300 
  O'Malley Lib.,       New          10,250,000          n/a     168,300 
  Manhattan Coll.,     Renovated     4,510,000          n/a      52,000 
  Riverdale, NY 
 
DiMenna-Nyselius       Total        13,302,192    3,999,606     450,000 
  Lib., Fairfield      New           8,381,100    2,519,790      67,500 
  Univ., CT            Renovated     4,921,092    1,479,816     382,500 
 
Anne Potter Wilson     Total           536,490       90,000      75,000 
  Music Lib., Blair    New             410,000       80,000      20,000 
  Sch. of Music,       Renovated       126,490       10,000      55,000 
  Vanderbilt Univ., 
  Nashville 
 
                                   Seating 
Name of Institution     Status     Capacity          Architect 
 
Brooklyn Coll. Lib.,   Total          2,245   Shepley Bulfinch ...; 
  NY                   New            1,356   Buttrick, White, Burtis 
                       Renovated        889 
 
Walter Lib./Digital    Total            590   Stageberg, Beyer, Sachs 
  Tech Ctr., Univ.     New              n/a 
  of Minnesota,        Renovated        n/a 
  Minneapolis 
 
Charles V. Park        Total          2,665   URS, Inc.; 
  Lib., Central        New            1,258   Woollen Molzan Partners 
  Michigan Univ.,      Renovated      1,407 
  Mt. Pleasant 
 
Mary Alice & Tom       Total            615   Perkins Eastman; 
  O'Malley Lib.,       New              315   Edward I. Mills Assocs. 
  Manhattan Coll.,     Renovated        300 
  Riverdale, NY 
 
DiMenna-Nyselius       Total            900   Stubbins Assocs. 
  Lib., Fairfield      New              675 
  Univ., CT            Renovated        225 
 
Anne Potter Wilson     Total             88   Street Dixon Rick 
  Music Lib., Blair    New               60 
  Sch. of Music,       Renovated         28 
  Vanderbilt Univ., 
  Nashville 
 
ADDITIONS ONLY 
 
                      Project    Gross   Sq. Ft.   Construc- 
Name of Institution     Cost     Area     Cost     tion Cost 
 
Wilson Library,       $130,000   1,600    $81.25    $130,000 
  Bethany Coll., 
  Scotts Valley, CA 
 
                      Equip- 
                       ment      Book     Seating 
Name of Institution    Cost    Capacity   Capacity   Architect 
 
Wilson Library,           $0      3,000         15   O/B 
  Bethany Coll., 
  Scotts Valley, CA 
 
RENOVATIONS ONLY 
 
                             Project     Gross    Sq. Ft. 
  Name of Institution         Cost        Area     Cost 
 
R.B. House Undergraduate   $11,800,000   66,000   $156.06 
Lib., Univ. of North 
Carolina at Chapel Hill 
 
Mother Irene Gill            8,000,000   40,000    175.00 
Memorial Lib., College 
of New Rochelle, NY 
 
Engineering Lib. &           3,538,000   16,064    192.98 
Information Commons, 
Univ. of Cincinnati 
 
Univ. of Texas               3,000,000   64,531     37.19 
Southwestern Medical 
Ctr. at Dallas Lib. 
 
Fong Optometry & Health      1,800,000    5,000    280.00 
Sciences Lib., Univ. of 
California-Berkeley 
 
Stanley Lib., Ferrum         1,700,000    7,500    200.00 
Coll., VA 
 
Ehrman Medical Lib.,           850,000    9,077     62.25 
New York Univ. 
Sch. of Medicine 
 
Paul Laurence Dunbar           813,077   21,050     38.63 
Lib., Wright State 
Univ., Dayton, OH 
 
Barnard Coll. Lib.,            630,000      900    290.00 
New York 
 
Archives & Special             331,000    2,400     91.88 
Collections, MIT Libs., 
Massachusetts Inst. of 
Technology, Cambridge 
 
E.H. Butler Lib., State        177,870    3,000     44.09 
Univ. of New York 
at Buffalo 
 
Yale Univ./Branford                n/a    5,050       n/a 
& Saybrook Residential 
Colls., New Haven, CT 
 
                            Construc-    Equipment      Book 
  Name of Institution       tion Cost       Cost      Capacity 
 
R.B. House Undergraduate   $10,300,000   $1,467,000     99,000 
Lib., Univ. of North 
Carolina at Chapel Hill 
 
Mother Irene Gill …