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The city of Menlo Park didn’t solicit much community feedback before deciding whether to accept an offer by local developer and philanthropist John Arrillaga to help build a new library in the city’s Civic Center campus.
However, now, the city is holding several community meetings to get public comment on where a new library should be built and other uses – such as housing and a new council chambers that should be considered in the new building.
The first of three public meetings will be held Monday, Dec. 4, from 6:30 to 9 p.m. on the main floor of the library at 800 Alma St.
Follow-up meetings are set for Jan. 17 and Feb. 15 at 6:30 p.m.
“We have a lot of room here if we want to utilize the entire main floor,” said Library Director Susan Holmer, referring to the meeting space. Library staff have argued that crowded library events are a big reason the city needs a new library.
In a space needs study, architectural consulting firm Noll & Tam recommended that the new library have about 44,000 square feet, about a third larger than the current library, to add rooms for studying, tutoring, meetings, and perhaps a “maker space.”
How that space would be configured – whether it’s on one or two floors, for instance – has yet to be determined.
To run the meetings, the city will continue to work with Noll & Tam.
The goal is to have a plan, and perhaps some early visualizations of what a new library would look like, by the end of the third meeting, Ms. Holmer said.
The city is also moving ahead on a needs assessment for a new Belle Haven branch library, which would be at a different site from the current one at Belle Haven Elementary. The city is accepting applications to serve on an advisory committee to help oversee the study and future work. The deadline to apply is Wednesday, Nov. 22.
The city hopes to take a combined bond measure for the new main library and Belle Haven library to voters in June 2018.
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As many of us said before. New main library a major waste of money and priorities just so a wealthy guy can get his name on another edifice.
With everything else going on in Menlo Park (Willows traffic, new voting districts) it’s absurd to be spending time on this, including the comment by @whatever above. If these meetings are happening anyway, they need to address the Belle Haven branch and its future, possibly including land acquisition for a larger space. Seems like something generous donors could get behind too.
I prefer to make my comments on projects such as this via email, so I will follow-up with the City in that form. But for what it’s worth I don’t see the pressing need for a new main library. However, I recognize that my non-use of the library may be an outlier.
First of all, most of my pleasure reading is done via electronic books. I do this as I don’t like to acquire books that take up physical space in my home when I can have the text on a small device. I like to purchase e-books rather than rent or borrow them to pass along at least some money to authors I like. and I prefer the convenience of being able to easily look up unfamiliar words or conduct an internet search on something mentioned in a book that I’d like to learn more about. I recognize that many people prefer the experience of a physical book and I don’t wish to start an argument about which is better. I am simply indicating a personal preference for reading.
Second, I prefer to conduct information searches online. I fancy myself pretty skilled at doing this and ]finding primary sources and quality research results.
The net result is that I seldom need to visit our local library.
On the other hand, the experience of browsing books shelves and the serendipity of new discoveries is cherished by many, and I highly encourage children and young adults to visit libraries, just as they should visits museums, art galleries, parks, and other places that enrich their lives and provide tactile experiences. Many libraries are embracing new ventures such as maker labs for children and adults and providing meeting areas to support ad hoc and virtual community organizations that lack physical locations.
At the end of the day I may not personally need a new library space in the downtown location for pleasure reading or research, but might perhaps for new, innovative community uses. Targeting other areas east of Hwy 101 that have been traditionally underserved by MP makes much more sense to me.
steve taffee
The people should insist on two bond measures: one for the Main and one for the Branch in Belle Haven. The voters should decide what’s needed and what they want to pay for.
So glad the community can join the conversation about the merits of 2 new libraries. I just know these buildings will become the heart and soul of their communities. The opportunity to discuss how the space can be best utilized is exciting. The future of libraries is tied to the future of healthy communities! Can’t wait to see what creative open minded folks will bring to the forum.
There should be two separate bond, issues going to the voters; one for the Belle Haven library and one for the main library!! Is everyone aware that we will be voting for both the main and Belle Haven libraries together on the library bond issue, and will not have the opportunity to vote for one without the other? Or the opportunity to vote for upgrading the main library rather than building a new one? Let the city council know you would like more options!