Community News

January 2007

NEW FELTON LIBRARY CLOSER TO REALITY

Update from Felton Library Friends

Michele Mosher, VWC Board Member and member of Felton Library Friends, has exciting news, “The new Felton Branch Library has moved a step closer to becoming a reality!”

At their January meeting, the Library Joint Powers Board decided to focus on the site next to the Felton Post Office offered by the Verutti family.  The Board made a renewed commitment to work with the community to build a new library there to serve the people of Felton, Ben Lomond, Brookdale, Lompico, Zayante, Mount Hermon and Bonny Doon.

The Board also allocated $30,000 for updating architectural plans, obtaining a professional cost estimate, and getting community input on the plans. Architect Teall Messer will oversee these steps, in consultation with the Board, administration, and Felton Library Friends, and expects to finish this phase by June.

All interested SLV residents are invited to attend a Felton Library Friends meeting to discuss plans for the building.  Meetings are on the fourth Tuesday of the month, 4:00 p.m. at the Felton Fire Station, unless otherwise posted.

The Felton Library Friends have been working hard to assure that the new library will truly meet the long-term needs of the community.  They endorsed thoughtful guidelines for the Library, also endorsed by the VWC in a recent letter to the Library Joint Powers Board, including the following:

The Felton branch of the future should be envisioned as a vital community-based learning center, one that integrates current models of public libraries as gathering places, activity centers, and community-support institutions. 
The library should be built in a location easily accessible by car, bus, bicycle, and foot, preferably in the central Felton business district, in order to maximize library usage by residents.

The Felton branch should be designed following extensive input from community members and library professionals, resulting in a design that has the full support of both users and staff. . .

The new Felton branch should address all the needs identified in the Felton Library Needs Assessment Project (1999), including more shelf space to accommodate a wider variety/selection of materials; separate areas for use by children, youth, and adults; comfortable furniture; good lighting; reading areas; more parking; better bathrooms; handicap and stroller access.

The Felton branch should include a meeting and activity space that serves the needs of children, youth, and adults. Such space could also serve a variety of other public or staff needs.

The Felton branch should serve the information needs of youth through the high school level, including an electronic homework center, and should therefore approach the standards set for Tier II (regional) libraries in regard to collection size, staffing, and reference service.

The Felton branch should meet or exceed the minimum space standard for a Tier I (community) library, as stated in Standards for Library Services and Facilities (2006): 7500 square feet, with 68% public space (5100 sq. ft.) and 32% staff work space (2400 sq. ft.).

The Felton branch should meet the highest standards for green building (Santa Cruz Libraries in the 21st Century, 2006), should have an architectural design that reflects the character of San Lorenzo Valley (Felton Town Plan, 1987), and should be integrated with the building site so that significant natural features are preserved.

You can also visit www.feltonlibraryfriends.org for updates, the entire set of guidelines, and a place to contribute your ideas.

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©2007 Valley Women's Club