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HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution - 1349 - Approve Branch Library Study - City & County Libraries Board - Master Plan - 03_31_1983RESOLUTION 1349 - 3/31/83 1JMS: j s RESOLUTION A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE BRANCH LIBRARY STUDY PRESENTED BY THE LUBBOCK CITY -COUNTY LIBRARIES BOARD AND ADOPTING THE RECOMMENDATIONS MADE THEREIN AS THE OFFICIAL MASTER PLAN FOR THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF BRANCH LIBRARIES WITHIN THE CITY OF LUBBOCK. WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Lubbock recognizes the need for a system of well developed branch libraries to serve the unique needs of residents within the immediate areas of such branch libraries; and WHEREAS, on March 10, 1983, Lubbock City -County Libraries Board presented to the City Council and the County Commissioners Court a Branch Library Study proposing the phased development of a system of neighborhood branch libraries; and WHEREAS, the City Council finds that said Branch Library Study is an appro- priate master plan for future branch library development; NOW THEREFORE: BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LUBBOCK: THAT the City Council approve the Branch Library Study presented by the Lubbock City -County Libraries Board and adopt said Study as the official master plan to be used as a guide for the future development of a system of neighbor- hood branch libraries within the City of Lubbock; such Study to be filed in the office of the City Secretary as an official record of the City of Lubbock. Passed by the City Council this 31st day March 10 , 1983. rJJU L McALISTER, MAYOR ATTEST: Evelyn Gaf ga, City S cr -Treasurer APPROVED AS TO CONTENT: im Veston, Director of Community Facilities APPROVED AS TO FORM: 136ai M. Sherwin, Assistant City Attorney BRANCH LIBRARY STUDY LUBBOCK CITY -COUNTY LIBRARIES January, 1983 CONTENTS Page Introduction l _ Purpose l Need 1 Timetable 3 • Map: Branch Library Study Areas 4 Recommendations for Northwest Branch 5 Building 5 Location 5 Program of Service 7 Estimated Development Cost 9 Estimated Annual Operating Expense 9 Southeast and Northeast Branches 11 Recommendations for Southeast Branch 13 Recommendations for Northeast Branch 16 ' Recommendations for Southwest Branch 22 Storefront Branches 24 Effect on Central Library 26 Funding Sources 28 Summary 29 INTRODUCTION The.purpose of a branch library is to provide for persons of all ages convenient access to information essential to daily decision making in all areas of life economic, social, political, cultural, philosophic. It should also be the source of educational materials and the setting for lifetime learning opportunities. A branch library should be community oriented, operating to serve the unique needs of residents within its immediate area. A branch library is not simply a book distribution center. Although the book collection i islrather general in nature, it must be sufficiently comprehensive f to�meet the general reference and information needs of its clientele. The staff should provide personalized guidance to the patron and serve as a liaison to the more specialized collection and staff of the central library. NEED The need for a system of well developed branch libraries in Lubbock has'been recognized for more than -a decade. It is the largest city In 'texas without a system of neighborhood branch libraries. An examination of the growth occurring in the library service area briCgs into focus the critical need for immediate action. Lubbock s .City -County Library presently serves a population of 211,651 persons res�ding within the 893 sq. mi. area of Lubbock County; 173,979 of those persons reside within the 90.5 sq. mi. area of the City of Lubbock. ti .There are, at present, two library facilities within the City - the central library located at 1306 9th Street and Godeke Branch at 6601 Quaker. Approximately half of these City residents live more than two miles from either of these library facilities. Of those, a significant number live five to six miles from the nearest library facility. Numerous studies show that use of the library is directly related to convenient access. The basic component of any branch system is the regional or full service branch. It is generally accepted that neighborhoods with a population of approximately 25,000, situated three or more miles distant from a library facility will efficiently support a regional branch of approximately 12,000 sq. ft. in size, stocked with a minimum opening day collection of 25,000 volumes and staffed with professional personnel during all service hours. Such a facility can ultimately expect to circulate at least 100,000 volumes annually. Two areas of the City - Northwest Lubbock and Southeast Lubbock - fully meet these criteria for regional branches. Special circumstances suggest that a branch should be recommended for Northeast Lubbock as well. The population density of Northeast Lubbock is less than optimum and projected to decline. The bulk of the residences are situated too near the central library to warrant a branch under ordinary circumstances. At the same time, this area is somewhat isolated from the rest of the City by barriers such as Yellowhouse Canyon, Mackenzie State Park, a major highway and future interstate -2- and a network of.railroads. Furthermore, it has a large concentra- tion of economically and socially disadvantaged persons who may require special programming. For these reasons, a somewhat smaller but full -service branch is recommended for that neighborhood. Growth projections indicate that a branch will also be needed in far southwest Lubbock by 1990. TIMETABLE Factors determining the length of time required to complete a branch project relate to two distinct.processes - the planning and construc- tion of the building and the selection, acquisition, cataloging and processing of the book collection. Experience with other building projects suggests that two years is a reasonable period to complete construction of one branch. For purposes of discussion, the follow- ing recommendations have been prepared under the assumption that a new branch will be opened every two years over the next eight years. While monetary constraints will more than likely mandate a much longer time frame, this does provide a basis for determining probable costs. The Library staff also believes that the book collection for one facility can be prepared in two years. It is anticipated that.the proposed management study of the department will result in recommenda- tions concerning the manner in which collection development can be added to the existing workload. -3- - a BRANCH LIBRARY STUDY AREAS BLUEFII KE URSUL E R S K 4 is 34 so Ss 932 98 114 FM ZE Q IL �p Q Q m > > 3 o 0 _J Q LL NW NE SE SW 1983 '24.237 1983 16,591 1983 22.485 1983 8.136 1990 36.505 1990 15.740• 1990 25.909. 1990 14,095 2000 53.883 2000 15 234 2000 27,051 2000 22.211 PREPARED BY: PLANNING DEPARTMENT NOV. 12 1982 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR NORTHWEST BRANCH Priority consideration should be given to Northwest Lubbock. It is the area farthest removed from a library facility and contains the largest population of the service areas identified. Population projections for 1990 show the immediate growth potential of the area which is expected to continue throughout the foreseeable future. The success of the Bookmobile stop at 13th and Slide during the past 15 years, leaves no doubt that the citizens of this area will take advantage of convenient library service. BUILDING A facility comparable to Godeke Branch is recommended for this area. A masonry building of 11,000 to 12,000 sq. ft. situated on a 50,000 sq. ft. lot would include public areas for circulation, children's services, adult services, meetings and programs as well as work areas for the staff. It should have a total book capacity of 50,000 volumes and a seating capacity of 75 in the reading/study areas. Parking space for 50 vehicles would also be required. LOCATION Location is perhaps the most critical decision to be made, for it largely determines the success of the facility throughout its pro- jected 30 years of usefulness. Ideally, the Northwest Branch should be located on Fourth Street in the vicinity of Slide Road. This -5- location would place the Branch on a busy thoroughfare near two major traffic intersections. It is centrally located in the pro- posed service area. It is very near a thriving shopping center which is continuing to expand. It would provide convenient access to persons living in all four directions and on both sides of the Loop. Another location, 19th Street near Chicago, has almost as many advantages. It, too, is on a major thoroughfare and near a shopping area. It is slightly south of the center of the proposed service area but very convenient to rapidly developing residential areas to the west. It would be highly visible, convenient from all four directions, and is very close to the Loop. Either of the above locations would provide more convenient access than is currently available for residents in Wolfforth and Shallowater. The City owns three tracts of land in this service area. Higin- botham Park is on 19th Street between Utica Drive and Vicksburg. There might be some problem in building on this park because of the elevation. It would also be necessary to investigate the implications of placing a library on dedicated park land. It is located on a major thoroughfare, however, and is also close to Slide. Another area is George Mahon Park, which is generally between 29th Drive and 34th Street west of Chicago. This park offers very little frontage on either 34th Street or Chicago Avenue. The third area is between 15th and l6th Streets from Chicago Avenue to Dover Avenue. This park area is.immediately south of Hardwick School. While these sites may not offer optimum location with regard to access and/or convenient proximity to all portions of the service area, they do have the advantage of eliminating land acquisition costs. Higin- botham"is undoubtedly the best suited of the three. PROGRAM OF SERVICE The Northwest branch would function as a full -service facility. Recommended hours of operation provide service six days per week including two evenings, for a total of 54 hours. Resources appropriate for all age groups would include general reference and information materials, general interest periodicals, local newspapers, a collection of current and standard fiction titles, a general collection of non-fiction covering all major subject areas and resources in audiovisual format. Individualized assis-tance would be provided through circulation activities, reference assistance, reader. guidance, user orientation and liaison with the central library. Formal programming would be provided with currently established practices of formal program presentation followed. Such services include specialized activities for preschoolers, grade school -7- children, adults and family units. These programs.could include storyhours, puppet shows, film programs, music programs, book talks, travel talks, programs of topical or holiday interest, tours, library orientation, etc. Daytime and evenings would be taken into consid- eration for program planning as is currently the practice. After school activities for school age children and evening programming for adults and families would be developed with regard to neighbor- hood need, clientele interests and special requests. Support pro- ' grams, in conjunction with public and private schools, daycare centers, nursery schools, clubs, etc, would be continued as cur- rently practiced at operating library facilities. it is also recommended that computer literacy be given special attention at all branch library facilities. New and vital tech- nological advancement in this area offers libraries special op- portunities to develop computer awareness and literacy programs for acquainting consumers with both equipment and application strategies. Information resources are already available in computerized format and the trend is expected to accelerate. The usual amenities such as listening centers, photocopy service, a public meeting room, etc. are also planned for the branch facility. r ESTIMATED DEVELOPMENT COST Land 95,000 Design and Construction 750,000 Furniture and Equipment 120,000 Book Collection (25,000 volumes, in- cluding processing) 386,000 Total 1,351,000 Assumes acquisition of new location. Use of existing park space would eliminate this expense, dropping total development costs to $1,256,000. ESTIMATED ANNUAL OPERATING EXPENSE (1985) Personal Services 114,525 Supplies 7,300 Maintenance 2,620 Other Charges (utilities, etc.) 25,160 Capital Outlay (books) 19,200 Total 168,805 Personal Services estimates are based on the following positions: 1 - Librarian II 1 - Librarian 2 - Library Assistant 2 - Clerk Typist 1 - Library Aide 1 .5 - Custodian . _9_ This staffing level will provide professional assistance during 54 hours of service per week. Management consultants currently on site will be asked to evaluate this approach and to recommend any needed changes. The allocation for books would purchase approximately 1,175 volumes which is the current.acquisition rate for Godeke Branch. Supply costs include those for motor vehicles, cleaning, book processing and office use. Other Charges are principally utility expenses. The estimate contains $4,440 for annual rental of photocopy equipment which would be recovered through user fees. A decision to rent or lease a comparable amount of space would substantially reduce development costs, but would also affect annual operating costs. Leasing an 11,000 square foot facility at a cost of $4.00 per foot, for example, would add $44,000 to annual operating costs. Also, depending on the age and nature of the facility leased, it might be necessary to provide some "one-time" funding in order to bring the facility up to code. -10- SOUTHEAST AND NORTHEAST BRANCHES There are off -setting justifications for establishing the priority order for branches in Southeast and Northeast Lubbock. It is diffi- cult to place one ahead of the other, although there is no doubt that they are the recommended locations for the two branches that will follow the Northwest facility. Considerations include total population of the service area, distance from an existing library facility, the need for library service based on general characteris- tics of the population and projected use of the proposed facilities. The Southeast Branch service area has a significantly larger popu- lation than the Northeast service area, with 22,485 estimated for 1983. It continues to experience a modest growth with 27,051 pro- jected for 2000. A facility centrally located in the area would be approximately four miles from the Mahon and Godeke Branch facilities. In 1980, the population was 2.8% Black and 25.5% Hispanic with the median income approximately the equivalent of the median income for the Lubbock Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area. By addressing the special needs of the disadvantaged segments of the population as well as the remaining more affluent citizens, library usage can legitimately be expected to be average or better. The Northeast Branch service area has an estimated total population for 1983 of 16,591. It experienced a population decline during the last decade, which Is expected to continue, with a projected population of 15,234 in 2000. The center of the service area is approximately two miles from the Mahon library - close enough to.be'served by that facility under ordinary circumstances. The area is somewhat isolated from the rest of the city by barriers such as Yellowhouse Canyon, Mackenzie State Park, a major highway and future interstate, a network of railroads and zoning for industry. In 1980, the popula- tion was.64% Black, 29% Hispanic, with a median income well below the median for the Lubbock Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area. Various factors indicate that there is a need for specialized pro- gramming and that per capita usage of library services may be some- what lower in the Northeast service area than in some other areas of the City. Nevertheless, other cities successfully serve disadvan- taged neighborhoods when the facility is attractive and the service provided closely relates to the needs of the service area. As development of the Northwest Branch will take a minimum of two years, the staff should have adequate time to monitor future de- mographic trends and demands for service in both of these service areas. These studies should provide the basis for recommendations concerning timing and location of the second and third branches. The following material contains only the staff's .initial thoughts regarding the nature and intensity of programming in each facility. It is recommended that the staff begin to gather.information which will enable the Library Board to evaluate service demands in both areas in order to determine community desires and probable usage. This process might result in a somewhat different service plan than is outlined in this report. -12- DETAILED RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SOUTHEAST BRANCH The Southeast Branch is recommended for south Lubbock in an area bounded generally by 34th Street on the north, University Avenue on the west; 82nd Street on the south and Quirt Avenue on the east. A facility located in the vicinity of 50th Street and Avenue Q would be approximately four miles from both the central library and Godeke Branch. It would serve an estimated population of 25,000 when opened for service in early 1987. Modest growth is projected for the area through the year 2000. Although some residences will be lost in the construction of Interstate 27, the loss will be offset by new development south of Loop 289. BUILDING/PROGRAMMING The proposed full -service branch would be similar to the Northwest Branch in size and book collection. Formal programming of the type described for the Northwest Branch including computer literacy would be provided. In addition, special programs related to cultural- awareness and interests expressed by patrons would be introduced. Community .leaders and service area citizens would be involved to the extent possible. The service area also reflects an anticipated need for special attention to be directed to the new adult learner. Programs to promote adult reading skills would be undertaken. Outside agencies would be used in such efforts to insure viable programming. Volunteers could be sought for one -to -one -patron _13- contact with the new adult learner. Similar programs have been introduced in other Texas libraries and have met with success. Such possible volunteer oriented programs would involve segments of the community, but would be under the direction of library personnel. Special materials might be required for this type programming in addition to those for general collection development. Special efforts would also be made to reach children of school age K - 12. Recommendations would be to increase weekday after school programs. Expanded contact with groups such as scout troops, after - school daycare centers and schools would increase library visibility and heighten opportunities for additional in-house programming for special interest groups. A program of reading partners looks pro mising and would be considered for children also. A strong public relations effort will be necessary to keep the public informed of Branch activities and encourage their partici- pation. Brochures, bookmarks, posters and other standard public relations techniques will be employed. The public relations aspect of the program of service must not be overlooked when staffing levels and the supply (printing) budget are being considered. -14- ESTIMATED DEVELOPMENT COST (BID 1986) Land Design and Construction Furniture and Equipment Book Collection (25,000 volumes) Total 75,000 820,000 132,000 463,188 1,490,188 * Assumes acquisition of new location. Use'of existing park space would eliminate this expense, dropping development cost to $1,415,188. A decision to develop this as the third site and delay construction until 1988 would put costs in the range of $1,575,000, assuming new. land is acquired. ESTIMATED ANNUAL OPERATING EXPENSE (1987) Personal Services Supplies 'Maintenance Other Charges Capital Outlay Total 126,263 6,213 1,728 25,936 18,586 178,726 A decision to begin operations in 1989 would put first year opera- tion costs at $207,637. -15- RECOMMEµDATIONS,FOR NORTHEAST BRANCH As noted earlier, the population of this area does not meet the usual standard for a regional branch library. It is estimated to number 16,591 in 1983, declining to 15,234 by the year 2000, a figure well below the recommended 25,000. The unique information needs of the residents and the geographic isolation of the area indicate that strong, specialized library service would be highly beneficial, however. A smaller facility and book collection seems reasonable. BUILDING A masonry structure of approximately 10,000 sq. ft. situated on a 40,000 sq. ft. lot is recommended. It should include public areas for circulation, children's services, adult services, programs and meetings as well as work areas for the staff. It should have a total book capacity of 40,000 volumes and 60 reader seats. Parking space for 40 vehicles will also be required. LOCATION The Library staff recommends that the Northeast Branch be located near Parkway Drive and Quirt Avenue. The area just east of Mackenzie Village shopping center is especially advantageous. It is on a busy thoroughfare with shops on both sides of the street and near a.major -16- traffic intersection. It is centrally located in the designated service area. It is adjacent to the only portion of the service area which showed a population increase during the last decade. A second choice would be Quirt Avenue south of Fifth Street. Although somewhat removed from the shopping activities of Parkway Drive, it is on a traffic artery, centrally and conveniently located to the service area. City properties may also be available. PROGRAM OF SERVICE The operating schedule would provide service six days per week including two evenings, for a total of 54 hours. Materials resources would include the full range described for the Northwest Branch, but with particular emphasis on the audiovisual format. Relevance to the interests and needs of the service area would be emphasized in materials selection. Special attention would be given to vocational advancement, health care, consumer, child care and similar problem -solving information resources. The need for individualized assistance in the information retrieval process is expected to be greater than at.the Northwest Branch. Staff should be selected for skill in reference interview techniques. A perceptive, empathetic, friendly and helpful staff/patron relation- ship would be fostered to facilitate maximum benefit from available resources. -17- 0 Formal programming of the type described for the Northwest Branch including computer literacy would be provided. In addition, special programs related to cultural awareness and interests expressed by patrons would be introduced. Community leaders and service area citizens would be involved to the extent possible. The service area also reflects an anticipated need for special attention to be directed to the new adult learner. Programs to promote adult reading skills would be undertaken. Outside agencies would be used in such efforts to insure viable programming. Volunteers could be sought for one- to-one patron contact with the new adult learner. Similar programs have been introduced in other Texas libraries and have met with success. Such possible volunteer oriented programs would involve segments of the community, but would be under the direction of library personnel. Special materials would be required for this type programming in addition to those for general collection de- velopment. Special efforts would also be made to reach children of school age K - 12. Recommendations would be to increase weekday after school programs. Expanded contact with groups such as scout troops, after - school daycare centers and schools would increase library visibility and heighten opportunities for additional in-house programming for special interest groups. A program of reading partners looks pro- mising and would be considered for children also. I": A strong public relations effort will be necessary to keep the public informed of Branch activities and encourage their partici- pation. Brochures, bookmarks, posters and other standard public relations techniques will be employed. The public relations aspect of the program of service must not be overlooked when staffing levels and the supply (printing) budget are being considered. Utilization of this facility is heavily dependent on a program of service relevant to personal needs and educational skills delivered in a non -threatening environment. ESTIMATED DEVELOPMENT COST (1988 BID) Land 25,000 " Design and Construction 800,000 Furniture and Equipment 120,000 Book Collection (20,000 volumes including processing) 445,226 Total 1.390.226 * Assumes acquisition of new land. Use of existing City land would put development costs at $1,365,226. A decision to bid in 1986 (and to delay the Southeast Branch) would put probable development costs in the range of $1,200,000. -19- i ESTIMATED ANNUAL OPERATING EXPENSE (1989) Personal Services 139,204 Supplies 8,760 Maintenance 3044 Other Charges 30,192 Capital Outlay 28,111 Total 201,527 A decision to develop this site as the second branch in 1987 would put first year operating costs at $185,262. Personal Services estimates are based on the following positions: 1 Librarian iI 1 Librarian 2 - Library Assistant 2 - Clerk Typist 1 - Library Aide .5 - Custodian This level of staffing is recommended in spite of the somewhat smaller building and potential clientele compared to the Northwest Branch. The same number of service hours - 54 per week - is rec- ommended for both locations in order to furnish service six days and two evenings per week. It is recommended that professional assistance, reinforced by adequate clerical assistance, be available during all service hours. Greater effort may be devoted to publicity and publicrelationsactivities. Heavy emphasis may be placed on formal -20- ' program presentations to attract residents to the library and to familiarize them with the library's potential to benefit them. Again, however, it should be noted that Management Consultants will be evaluating this approach in order to determine if more appro- priate staffing levels might be possible. The allocation for books would purchase approximately 950 volumes in 1989. Supply costs include those for motor vehicles, cleaning, book processing and office use. Other Charges are utility expenses primarily. -21- RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SOUTHWEST BRANCH Southwest Lubbock continues to be the fastest growing area of the City. Planning now for branch library service makes the ideal possible. Immediate purchase of a site in advance of full resi- dential development would assure a choice location at a bargain price. The Southwest Branch, located in the vicinity of 82nd Street and Milwaukee Avenue, is recommended for development by the end of the decade. The service area shown on the.map represents only a portion of the area situated within a two-mile radius of the proposed location which would be the actual service area of the branch. Population projections were available for only the shaded area however. The growth trend is obvious even though the statistics are incomplete. The Southwest Branch would be a full -service branch similar to the Northwest Branch in size of building and book collection., The program of service would be similar to the Northwest Branch also since the population is expected to have similar characteristics in terms of income level, educational achievement, cultural background, . etc. Recognizing that cost projections eight to ten years into the future are subject to a considerable margin of error, the following es- timates are presented for planning purposes. -22- ESTIMATED DEVELOPMENT COST Land 100,000 Design and Construction 1,250,000 Furniture and Equipment 156,000 Book Collection (25,000 volumes) 669,700 Total 1,935,300 ESTIMATED ANNUAL OPERATING EXPENSE (1991) Personal Services 148,900 Supplies 9,500 Maintenance 3,400 Other Charges 32,700 Capital Outlay 34,000 Total 228,500 STOREFRONT BRANCHES The,storefront branch still exists in some cities. The term refers to a small facility, usually situated in rented quarters, which emphasizes circulation of books with little or no reference service. The book collection is minimal (less than e of a typical branch), with emphasis on popular reading. Service hours are typically limited. In our situation, it would be difficult for such an arrangement to approach the level of service now being provided at Godeke. The proposed program of services for the Northwest Branch (described earlier) could not be handled in a typical storefront facility. This would include such activities as film nights, children's programming, and interlibrary loans. In light of the proposed evaluation of service demands noted on page 12, however, this approach is mentioned for Council consideration. The primary advantage of a storefront operation is that it avoids the considerable capital expense mandated by construction of a new building. Book collection costs are also less, as a storefront cannot accomodate the number of volumes normally handled in a branch facility. Personnel costs are typically less in such a .facility (fewer personnel are needed as programming is less intensive). These savings may be somewhat offset by ongoing expenses to rent the facility. It would be advisable for the staff to begin compiling information to be submitted to the Library Board. This will enable -24- that body to evaluate demands for service in those areas in which this approach might be contemplated. Should Council choose to pursue this approach, estimated development costs and annual operat- ing expenses would be as follows: ESTIMATED DEVELOPMENT COST Furniture and Equipment 40,000 Book Collection (10,000 volumes, including processing) 154,400 Total 194,400 ESTIMATED ANNUAL OPERATING EXPENSE (1985) Personal Services 46,811 Supplies 2,433 Maintenance 873 Other Charges (utilities, etc.) 8,386 Capital Outlay (books) 6,400 Rent 4,000 sq. ft. 24,000 Total 88,903 Personal Services estimates are based on the following positions: 1 - Librarian 1 1 - Library Assistant .5 - Library Aide .5 - Custodian y EFFECT ON CENTRAL LIBRARY The relationship between a central library and its branches is one of mutual support and benefit. The quantity of service provided at the central library may decline slightly when a new branch opens for service. Some regular clients will choose to patronize the more accessible branch. Many of these will find the limited branch collection unsatisfactory and continue to use the central library. Most of the growth will come from reaching non -users or infrequent users through the convenience of a neighborhood facility. This was the experience of Lubbock City -County Library when Godeke Branch opened in 1980. It is the expectation for the future as additional branches are developed. The central library must remain strong in book collection and staff in order to give adequate support to an expanding branch system, however. Procedural changes may be neces- sary, of course, to insure good communications, to insure participa- tion by branch personnel in policy decisions, to insure uniformity in the enforcement of policy, to help branch staff identify with the system as a whole. Administering additional branches may necessitate changes in staff for that purpose. It is anticipated that the management study will provide guidance in this regard. -26- STATISTICAL COMPARISONS 1979-80 System Mahon Godeke Total Circulation 361,376 77,591 476,207 Patron Transactions 348,896 28,208 401,738 Attendance 187,724 48,981 260,167 Total Patron Services 897,996 154,780 1,138,112 1981-82 System Mahon Godeke Total Circulation 302,942 152,214 488,924 Patron Transactions 370,575 48,365 443,246 Attendance 171,250 96,033 288,559 Total Patron Services 844,767 296,612 1,220,729 FUNDING SOURCES Revenue Sharing is the funding source most readily apparent to the Library staff for the immediate future, although current Federal Budget problems may jeopardize this program in the next few years. At least $100,000 in Revenue Sharing funds, appropriated for library use in October 1981, is available at this time. Library construction is an ineligible use of Community Development funds under section 570.207A of current regulations. Future bond elections may provide alternative funding sources. -28- SUMMARY The public library is the primary institution responsible for pro- viding current information and accumulated knowledge in all major subject areas for people of all ages and abilities. Usage of li- brary of service is directly proportionate to convenient access. According to generally accepted standards, convenient access is accomplished by providing a system of full -service branch facilities serving a one and one-half to two mile radius throughout a metro- politan area. At least half of the citizens of the City of Lubbock do not enjoy convenient access to a library facility at this time. Four branch libraries are needed to remedy this situation and plans made for future development in areas where growth is assured. The develop- ment of four branches simultaneously is a project of such magnitude that phased development seems advisable. Cost estimates contained in this report assume development of facilities in 1985, 1987, 1989, and 1991. These dates were chosen in order to provide relat'ive cost estimates. It is likely, however, that funding considerations will stretch the development plan out over.a much .longer time period. Criteria for the priority ranking of needed branches generally relates to the number of people needing service and the distance to the nearest library facilities. There are other factors which -29- sometimes warrant consideration also. It is readily apparent that Northwest Lubbock represents the largest number of citizens who live the,greatest distance from a library facility and merits first priority in a phased development"program. There are equally valid but different reasons to rank either Northeast Lubbock or Southeast Lubbock as the second priority. Both areas need service as soon as possible. Optimum results are obtained from careful advance planning for future branch development in projected growth areas. A commitment to extend library.service to far southwest Lubbock as soon as population growth warrants is strongly recommended. Profile of a regional full -service branch includes an 11,000-12,000 sq. ft. facility stocked with a minimum opening day collection of 25,000 volumes, staffed with professional personnel during all service hours. Summary costs are as follows: Northwest Southeast Northeast Southwest Branch (1985) Branch (1987) Branch (1989) Branch (1991) Development $1,351,000 $1,490,188 $1,390,226 $1,935,300 1st year operations $ 168,805 $ 178,726 $ 201,527 $ 228,500 * Assume acquisition of new locations -30- Storefront Branches are usually unable to approach typical branch facilities in terms of collection size, programming, or patron use. Nevertheless, this approach was examined in order to determine possible costs. Development costs (immediate) would be $194,400, with first year operating costs of $88,903.