THE LIBRARY RENOVATION STORY

What will the renovation project achieve for the Library?

Phase 1

A little over 9,000 square feet of space will become part of the library.
Expanded and completely renovated quarters for Children’s Services on the ground floor, including a new room designed for children’s programs.
An area on the main floor specially designed for the use of teens and for our teen book collection
Additional and renovated space for adult collections on the main floor.
Greatly improved meeting space. The main meeting room on the ground floor will be expanded to seat over 100 for public programs and meetings, and be accessible to the community outside regular library hours. A new conference room will be added on the ground floor, along with additional private study rooms on the main floor.
A special room for our Wethersfield History Collection.
A new separate entrance to the library with improved energy efficiency.
A new stairway from the main floor to Children’s Services and the meeting rooms on the ground level.
Widening the stairs to the mezzanine level to improve safety and meet code requirements.
Handicapped accessible rest rooms on the ground floor near the meeting rooms.
Improved workspace for staff.
Bookstore and storage space for the Friends of the Library.

Phase 2

A new roof.
Re-pointing of deteriorating exterior brickwork.
Installation of fire sprinklers throughout.
Hazardous material abatement.
A new fire alarm system
Improvements to the heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems including new boilers.
Some new furnishings for the new and renovated spaces.
Replacement of some windows.

Where’s the money from?

Phase 1

Voters approved a bond issue in 1999 to build the new police station. The bond included $750,000 to renovate the entire area on the Library’s ground floor for library use. The plan was that the Town offices currently using that space to move to the area the Police used to occupy on the ground level of Town Hall.
The Library applied for and received a State Library Construction Grant in 2001 for $400,000. This is the maximum amount allowed by the state, based on the size of the project.
The Library Board voted $50,000 from the Library Trust Fund towards the project.
In July 2004 voters approved a referendum to permit the Town to accept the $400,000 Library Construction Grant and the $390,000 State Small Cities Grant for Town Hall in addition to the funds appropriated in the 1999 bond issue.

Phase 2

In February 2004 the Town Manager and the Mayor requested that the Building Committee develop an estimate of additional infrastructure work needed on the Town Hall and the Library, work not covered by the bond, but necessary for safety and code compliance. It was clear that doing the work while the building was already under renovation would save money and minimize interruption of services.
In November 2004 voters approved a bond issue of $5.2 million to complete renovations at the Town Hall/Library.

First the new Police Station had to be finished and the police moved into the new building. That was completed in February, 2003.
Then the former police department space in Town Hall has to be renovated and the new elevator installed. That was completed in February, 2006.
Then the Recreation and Parks, Human Services, and Registrar of Voters offices need to move into their new space. This occurred in February, 2006.
Now work on the ground floor has begun. The new children’s department, new meeting room, new Friends space, and new downstairs public restrooms and interior stairway need to be constructed and the children’s department moved.
Then the current children’s room space needs to be converted to offices and study rooms, the teen area created, the Wethersfield History room, new reference and circulation workrooms constructed.
During the process of these major pieces of construction, the new roof, new entrance, sprinklers, heating and cooling, and phone system will be installed.

The Library will remain open for business as much as possible. Some closings will need to be scheduled to allow the construction to move forward safely.

At the moment there is not a firm date when everything will be finished, but we will include an update in every one of our monthly newsletters, and produce new chapters of the Library Renovation Story.