 |
It's an exciting time in Stratham! Phase II of the project passed at Town Meeting on March 12, 2010 and work began during the week of March 22. Since all of this construction will be happening in the main parts of the library where we are continuing to work, there will likely be more disruption this year than last. We will be posting updates on this page, on the main page of the library Web site and on our Facebook page.
We are still actively fundraising to help pay for furnishings and equipment. To donate or find out more, please take a look at the fundraising page. Or, call Lesley at the Library at 772-4346 or send an e-mail to WigginML@comcast.net.
We couldn't get by without our volunteers! Check out our page about all the great things they do.
August 4, 2010 -- The books are back!
We're excited to welcome our books back into the library. Yesterday, a bunch of members of the Exeter High School Football Team came to the library to move boxes of books into the library. There were hundreds of boxes and it only took them 30 minutes to get everything inside! Many thanks to Coach Bill Ball & the team for their help. Thanks also to the Highway Department who ably moved all the pallets of books and furniture from the fire house back to the library. We couldn't have done this without them!!
Now, volunteers are helping us get all of those books onto shelves so that the whole collection will be available again. Thanks so much to everyone who is lending a hand and thanks to everyone out there for your patience!
|
|
|
shelving pieces waiting outside |
moving the pieces inside to be assembled! |
starting to put things together |
|
|
|
the new fiction section! |
lots of books waiting to come back into the library |
did we mention there were a lot of books?? |
July 20, 2010 - Only 3 more days!
Things have been very hectic over the past month. As you know, we are moved into our new circulation area and it is working out great. The construction crew plans to be finished with their part of the project this Friday, July 23 - wow!
Next, we'll be moving the shelving back into the library and reassembling it in preparation for moving the rest of the books back into the library. This is an all-volunteer effort, so it will probably take us a couple of weeks. We are sure that by the end of August, the newly renovated library will be refilled and ready for another 20 years of exceptional service!
|
|
|
The soon-to-be adult fiction collection |
The soon-to-be adult fiction collection... WITH carpet |
Staff-eye view from behind the circulation desk |
|
|
|
Temporary home for the adult collection. This will become nonfiction, biography, reference and audiovisual |
Temporary home for these new, comfy reading and laptop chairs -- a gift from the Friends of the Library! This seating will be in the new Community Reading Area. |
Here's the hallway looking from the children's area up to the main desk. Adult fiction and the Reading area will be on the left and the Teen room is on the right. |
June 17, 2010 -- The last section begins
Demo has begun on the last section of the library to be renovated. This last section will hold the community reading area and the adult fiction/large print collections -- it used to house the circulation area, work/office areas and the elementary collections. Our main entrance is also being recreated with new doors and a covered entry. We are absolutely open through all of the construction so feel free to come by and check it out.
|
|
|
|
Outside the office before demo |
Outside the office during demo |
Old circ desk before demo |
Old circ area during demo |
|
|
|
|
Work area before demo |
Work area during demo |
Demo in old J collection coom |
Demo in old office |
June 9, 2010 - Note on Library Entrance
We'll be using the side entrance for a while longer while work continues on our main entrance. Below are some pictures to help you find that entrance. When you are facing the library's main entrance, the side entrance is to your left. (scroll down for pictures of the new circulation desk and book shelves)
|
|
|
The yellow in the right side of the picture is the library's main entrance. Our side entrance is to the left of the picture. |
Here's the side entrance! |
Structure of the re-designed entrance |
June 9, 2010
We are working from behind the new circulation desk! It's definitely going to take a while to get everything organized, but we are set up for checking in and out, taking your requests and helping you find what you need. The books, audiobooks & DVDs have also moved to the front of the library. There is much more room to browse so even though this is still a temporary situation, we think you'll like it much better. Come in soon and see how we're looking! Demolition on the last section to be renovated will begin on Mon. June 14.
|
|
|
Filling the shelves! |
Here's the fiction! |
Browsing the DVDs |
|
|
|
Just getting started... |
First book return - notice the book return in the desk!! |
Staff break room (and meeting room) |
June 4, 2010
|
|
View from behind the new circulation desk |
New carpet in the front collection area |
June 2, 2010
This is an exciting week! Much of what's been happening up until now has been behind the scenes... it's hard to show off the framing or the wiring. This week is all finish work leading up to moving the circulation desk next week. Today ceiling tiles are going up and touch-up painting is happening. Thursday and Friday the carpeting will be installed. On Thursday they will start framing in our new front entrance.
Next week we'll be moving all of our equipment and supplies from the current circulation desk over into the new area. We'll be ready to serve you first thing Monday morning and through the week so don't hesitate to come in to check out items. Also next week we'll be getting new vestibule doors for our main entrance. All of this work (starting tomorrow) around the main entrance will mean that we'll be using the building's side entrance a lot. Just use either the old Town Office entrance or the current Town Office entrance and come right into the library. We also expect the library restrooms to be open next week!
Once we're moved into the new circulation desk, the adult materials (fiction, nonfiction, DVDs, CDs, audiobooks) will also move up to the front area (where the nonfiction used to be). Most of the public computers will also move up to the front. Demo will start on all of the remaining space probably around June 14th.
We think you'll love the first stage of this phase of the renovations!
May 20, 2010
The cabinets are being installed today for the new circulation desk and in the small staff/meeting room. We're also getting the partitions for the bathroom stalls since the fixtures went in yesterday. Did you know that the Men's & Women's bathrooms will be reversed in the renovation? That will take some getting used to! Carpet will likely arrive late next week. We may be using the side entrance, the one that used to be the Town Office entrance, during the week of 5/24 so look for signs in the parking lot. When you come in that entrance, you will turn right to enter the library. We'll also be getting a new bookdrop soon. It will be on the right-hand wall as you approach our main doors. Many thanks to the Kelley Library in Salem for giving us an extra bookdrop door
that they had so we didn't have to buy one!
|
|
|
Circulation Desk - where you will check out |
Work area of Circ Desk - Window into vestibule |
Part of the new Women's Restroom |
May 14, 2010
Things are still moving along well in what will be the new circulation, audiovisual and nonfiction areas of the library. Part of the money for the project - money for energy-saving aspects like insulation and windows - is coming from the Energy Grant the town received. Things can take a little longer at the Federal level, so we have been waiting to hear what the timeline might be for that grant money to arrive. It now looks like it's going to be a while... So, we have put up the ceiling grid and once the data and phone lines are run the ceiling tiles will go up and the insulation will actually be put in later, whenever the grant money is received.
Other work is ongoing. Bathroom floors will be installed on Friday 5/14 and Monday 5/17, cabinets & countertop for the new circulation desk will be installed starting on Thursday 5/20 and carpeting will be installed during the last week of May. Once the carpeting is installed in the area, we'll be moving the circulation services from the current location to the new space, possibly during the week of 6/7. After that, construction crews will move into what is currently circulation/offices and then down into our temporary adult collection space. So, there will be much more shifting around before everything lands in its final location.
April 26, 2010
|
|
|
Entrances into offices/workroom |
View from behind the new desk |
Here's what our ceilings look like! |
April 19, 2010:
The space is starting to shape up -- walls are going up today
This area is behind the new circulation desk and will be work space, an equipment room
and offices.
April 8, 2010:
Big changes this week!
The last two photos are what you'll see when you come in the main entrance
& stand at the circulation desk. The area that was adult fiction and the main
reading area are all surrounded with plastic sheeting & being demolished.
March 30, 2010:
Time to take a look at what's happening!
Here is what was the adult fiction section as the books that will be in storage are packed up into boxes. For Fiction, Biographies & Reference we used 10 pallets completely filled with more than 240 boxes. Many thanks to Marty Wool for many of the pallets! And, many thanks to the Stratham Volunteer Fire Department for providing great storage space during the renovations.
After renovations Adult Fiction will be between the community reading area and the children's room & across the hall from the Teen Room so that there is an easy flow for new items/browsing and family library use.
Magazines also need to be moved for the next part of construction. You'll be able to find them down the hall, near the children's room. When the renovation is complete, magazines, newspapers and new items will all be in the comfortable community reading area.
March 23, 2010:
Today our bathrooms in the library are being demolished. That's the first step in rebuilding ADA compliant, more usable restrooms for everyone. While this is happening, bathrooms are available in the town offices.
This morning, our front doors are open while debris is carried outside -- if you're coming to the library to stay for a while, please be sure to bring an extra layer to wear to stay warm.
March 19, 2010:
Only a little more than a week after the funding was approved, construction will begin. The crew is going to start with the bathrooms during the week of 3/22, so be aware that the only available bathrooms during that week will be in the town offices portion of the building. Directly after that they will be working on the front entrance and what is currently the adult fiction section. While the front entrance is blocked, you will be able to use the entrance on the side of the building that used to be the entrance for the town offices. Much of the adult fiction collection will be stored off-site during the renovations. The last 6 months of acquisitions will be accessible and we will continue to receive new items. The adult fiction that is accessible will be in what is currently the
elementary collection room. These changes will start next week. We would love it if you would come check out 25 (or more) books until June 30 -- you'll get to enjoy them and we won't have to store them. But, since we'll be packing starting next week, you should do it soon.
March 2010:
Funding for Phase II of the library renovations will be voted on at Town Meeting on Friday, 3/12 at 7 p.m. at Stratham Memorial School. We are excited that the costs are lower than originally expected! In 2009, the CIP showed an estimated $275,000 to be requested in 2010. Instead, in 2010, the CIP request is for $248,000.00 -- $27,000 less than anticipated! This request is a one-time inclusion in taxes (no long-term bond) and would equal $80 per household.
If the funding is approved it will allow us to complete the renovation/expansion of the entire library in 2010; upgrading electrical infrastructure to eliminate potential fire hazards, better serving the population (especially special needs) with ADA-compliant rest rooms, creating space for the increased number of job-seekers, people returning to school for additional training and traveling business people who are using the library. By finishing the project in 2010 we will be able to capitalize on savings from energy efficiency, lower construction costs and the efficiencies included in continuing a project already in progress.
You can only vote on this issue by being present at Town Meeting on Friday, March 12. The meeting convenes at Stratham Memorial School at 7:00 p.m. Please contact Lesley at the library with any questions: 603-772-4346 | e-mail |
January 2010:
Between October 2009 and January 2010, 267 people have already used the new spaces in the library for meetings, studying, tutoring sessions and more. All services we couldn't offer before the expansion in 2009. And, more than double that number used the spaces during library events. We've heard so many great comments:
"I love the colors on the walls!"
"It's great to be able to find children's books even while story times are going on."
"I'm so proud my tax dollars went to support this!"
"We thought we would have to end our tutoring sessions when we couldn't find a space that would work. The Quiet Study room is a godsend."
We're excited to be able to offer all of this to Stratham and we're looking forward to offering even more if Phase II is approved in March. Phase II includes expanded adult fiction and nonfiction collections, more audiovisual shelving space, a Community Reading Area where people can browse new items, newspapers, magazines or sit and chat with a neighbor, and additional spaces for studying, research and quiet reading. Phase II will take care of some less visible things as well: Updating the electrical infrastructure so that we no longer have a risky Federal Pacific electrical panel, replacing the light fixtures (one of which triggered an evacuation of the library in 2009 when it caught on fire), and making the current spaces much more energy and heat efficient, saving the town money in the long run.
The Library's fundraising committee raised more than $25,000.00 (cash and in-kind gifts) in 2009. All of that is specifically offsetting costs to furnish the new space. Our overall goal for 2009-2010 is $60,000.00 and we're almost halfway there! We hope you will consider making a gift, joining the fundraising committee, or attending a fundraising event like the Chocolate Extravaganza on Feb. 11, 2010. To get more information on the fundraising campaign, please visit the fundraising page.
November 2009:
Work on Phase I is complete and because Crow Construction finished ahead of schedule and under budget (!) they were able to complete the E/J collection room which was originally in Phase II of the project. For now, the Preschool (E) collection will be in that room and when Phase II is underway, the Elementary (J) collection will move in there to make room for Adult Fiction.
The new space is wonderful! We hope you will stop by and see it soon.
May 2009:
Work has begun in the empty space that will be part of the library by the end of 2009. A lot of work is needed to upgrade this space for insulation, electrical and fire before we start using it. Eventually, this new space between the current library and the town offices will house a community meeting room, a quiet study room, a children's and teen's program room and teen collection room.
March 2009: Press Release from Board of Selectmen:
After we came out of non public session last night we discussed the relative merits of accepting a proposal by Crow Construction to continue work on renovating the Municipal Center. The Board unanimously concluded that the most efficient and cost effective means of implementing the library portion of the project was to hire Crow as Project Manager for a design/build project. The company will provide on going design services, demolition, and miscellaneous labor and materials. It will also secure bids for individual trade portions of the work and supervise all components of the job. This process will allow us to take advantage of Crow's extensive knowledge of the building learned during Part 1 of the 2008 renovations while utilizing any excess labor in the market that is available in various building trades due to the poor construction
climate. Crow will formulate specifications and secure bids for components such as flooring, electrical, plumbing, insulation, painting, etc. etc. and will bring these bids to the Board of Selectmen for selection and approval. At the same time Crow has capped the expense of the project with a "Not to Exceed" contract price of $240,000. It is anticipated that in addition to completing phase 1 of the library work, much of the infrastructure work for phase 2, such as replacing electrical panels, refurbishing bathrooms, and phase 2 design will also be accomplished without disrupting library operations. The Board has appointed Selectman David Canada, Town Administrator Paul Deschaine, Build Inspector Terry Barnes, and Library Director Lesley Kimball to oversee the project on a day to day basis on behalf of the Board. The Board also acknowledged Crow Construction's past performance in providing the town with construction services that have consistently come in under budget and
on time.
March 2009
Thank you for your support at Town Meeting! PHASE I of the Renovation Project passed and construction on the "new" part of the Library will begin this spring. By the end of the year the community will have a new library meeting room, quiet study room, youth activity room and teen collection room. We'll keep you posted on the progress and invite you to stop by and check it out!
February 2009
We need your support at Town Meeting 2009! In addition to the regular library operating budget (part of the overall town budget) we will be presenting a warrant article for $325,000.00 to finish the municipal center AND to begin the expansion of the Library. This money will cover the construction, code updates (fire, electrical), and furnishings to create new space for library activities. At the end of this phase of construction (by the end of 2009) you will be able to enjoy a community meeting room for library programs, a quiet study/work area for tutors, students or anyone needing some quiet space, a safe, age-appropriate youth program room for children and teens, and a room to house the teen collections. These spaces will mean that programs won't disturb others who are trying to
use the library's collections, teens won't be overrun by adults trying to view local history collections and all of these activities will be happening in a safe environment with up to date fire prevention and suppression and electrical infrastructure.
What can you do to help? Attend town meeting on Friday, March 13 at 7:30 p.m. at the Stratham Memorial School (Directions),join the discussion and vote to support Warrant Article #3 -- to raise and appropriate $325,000.00 for Municipal Center and Library Renovations. Tell your friends and neighbors why you support the library and invite them to attend Town Meeting as well. For more information about the project, attend the Open House at the Library on Sunday, February 15 from 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. (presentation at 2:30 p.m.). In addition to learning
about the great new services the library will be able to provide, you can catch up with friends and neighbors and enjoy some delicious refreshments. The plans for the expanded space are also on display at the library near the front door. We invite you to stop by and take a look and ask any questions you might have. Or, feel free to contact Lesley Kimball, Library Director at 772-4346 or WigginML@comcast.net or any of the Library Trustees (Board Members).
News about upcoming votes:
FUNDRAISING: Now, we are in fundraising mode. We need to raise and appropriate the money to renovate our new and old space in order to create Stratham's Library of the Future. We need your votes (that means your presence) at Town Meeting in March of 2009 to support the appropriation for Library expansion. In addition, the Library has a goal to raise $60,000.00 by the end of 2010 to ease the burden and help to furnish the new spaces. We need your help! Ask about joining the fundraising committee, donating money or items, or attending a library fundraising event. We'll keep you updated below as to our progress and how you can be a part of it!
September 2008
Our newly formed fundraising committee is excited about plans for Fall 2008. You'll want to attend (or volunteer!) our fall Book Sale on Friday 10/24 and Saturday 10/25. Friends of the Library can attend the special preview hour from 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. and get first dibs on some great books! Not a Friend of the Library yet? Just bring your $10.00 membership fee and get into the preview! See our Book Sale page for all the information, including on how you can donate your books, movies and music.
We're also excited to announce a Benefit Performance by Rob Richards as Charles Dickens performing A Christmas Carol on Thursday, December 11 at 7:00 p.m. This classic holiday event is a MUST for the whole family and will be followed by a Dessert Reception and time to meet "Charles Dickens". Rob Richards is the Chair of the Department of Theater and Dance at Phillips Exeter Academy. The performance will take place at the Stratham Community Church.
Tickets: Available at the Wiggin Memorial Library and Water St. Books starting November 1, 2008. Individuals: $10.00; Family: $25.00. ALL proceeds benefit the Wiggin Memorial Library Expansion Project.
August 2008
You may have noticed that construction has begun on the end of the building that used to house the Police Department. There are many changes happening there: the stage has been removed, the kitchen is being relocated and the space is being broken up to be the new homes for the Town Clerk and the Planning and Building Offices. In fact, they will be moving into those new spaces on 8/14 & 15. The entrance that used to serve the Police will become the main entrance for all town government offices.
All of this construction has had quite an impact this summer, affecting where Library and Recreation programs could take place -- a great reminder of why we need extra space! In the end, the space will be more useable, more up to date and serve the current needs of the town.
What about the Library? Well, all this renovation will be opening up almost 3,000 ft2 next to the current library space. We are currently working on a budget to do the work, and purchase the necessary fittings to fill that space. You can see a preliminary drawing of the renovated Library space at the Library or on the Website (http://www.wigginml.org/towngovt/planA.pdf). We are looking forward to having space for events and activities, small study space, and a comfortable reading and browsing area, all things that you indicated were important on recent surveys.
There is a lot left to do -- most importantly: We need your support to make this project happen. Fundraising efforts will begin this fall and we hope you'll get involved. Also, the town will need to vote for the construction monies to renovate the space at the 2009 Town Meeting. Please plan to attend that meeting and support the library with your vote!
March 2008
We have some preliminary results from the building study and we're reviewing potential plans for reconfiguring the current Municipal Center. The Board of Selectmen believe that we should work within the current footprint of the Municipal Center building which should allow for approximately 2,000 - 2,500 additional square feet of space for the library. That extra space will allow us to expand our services in some ways (add some program space especially). While it isn't likely to accommodate library growth for 25 years, we do believe this can help us meet the community's demands for the next decade.
The Board of Selectmen is holding a public forum to present some early drawings of a plan for the renovated Municipal Center and we would like everyone to attend and offer your ideas and thoughts. The forum will be on Thursday, April 17, 2008 at 7 p.m. See you there!
November 2007
You may have heard that plans are moving forward to study the Municipal Center building and determine some viable options for better space use and increased space for the library and other town departments. On November 5, the Board of Selectmen voted to hire the firm Dennis Mires Architects to conduct a space needs and building study. Dennis Mires Architects has excellent experience with Library and Municipal projects, including the Hampton Falls Public Library. Over the next two months, the firm will look at the building's structure, layout and infrastructure as well as gathering information about current space usage and needs and growth projections in order to compile a report for the town as to some good options for renovation and reconfiguration of the current Municipal Center. The resulting report will be used to present facts and
potential plans to the voters at Town Meeting 2008, as well as a projected cost analysis for completion of a project.
While the study is being conducted, we are also asking you to weigh in on current library services as well as what you see as future library needs. A brief survey is being mailed with tax bills. Information collected from you will be an important piece of the overall planning process and we appreciate your time to fill out the survey.
There are a few convenient ways that you can return the survey to us. You may affix a stamp and put the survey into the mail. You can drop off the survey either in the library or in the town offices. Or you can take the survey online and submit it to us electronically by using this link:http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=NUl8lJCTFvoKb_2f7EIfc96g_3d_3d.
We would appreciate having your responses as soon as possible, no later than January 11, 2008. As always, thank you for your support and for your helpful ideas! We invite any other ideas, questions and suggestions as well! Contact Lesley, Library Director (772-4346/director@wigginml.org) or Paul, Town Administrator (772-7391/ strathamta@comcast.net).
September 2007
Now that the police department is in their new space, many changes will be happening in the Municipal Center and with the library. Of course, the police left the smallest space in the building (not to mention the farthest away from the library), so there is plenty of planning and reorganizing to be done before any physical moves take place within the building.
The town is moving forward with the site/building study of the Municipal Center and we expect that a “request for qualifications” will go out to firms by October 1 of 2007. If this timeline is achieved, we will be looking forward to having some results in early 2008. This study will look at all the current building issues (available space, HVAC, infrastructure, etc.) as well as the site (water/septic, available space for addition, etc.). The results of that study will help the Library Board of Trustees and the Board of Selectmen move forward with good, solid information as we start to plan the future of this building. Expect to be hearing information about such plans and the need for design money leading up to and at the March 2008 town meeting.
May 2007
As the police department starts to move into their new space in mid-May, many folks are wondering what is going to happen next in the Municipal Center and with the library. The police department is moving out of the smallest space in the building (not to mention the farthest away from the library), so before any real plans can be made a complete study must be done of the current Municipal Center and the land surrounding it.
The good news is that the money for the study was approved in the Capital Improvements Program back at the 2004 Town Meeting. Current plans are for RFQs to go out to firms by the end of May for the study to be completed over the summer. That study will look at all the current building issues (available space, HVAC, electrical & other infrastructure, current space availability and use) as well as the site of the Municipal Center (looking at water and septic, available space for addition, etc.). The results of that study will help the Library Board of Trustees and the Board of Selectmen move forward with good, solid information as we start to plan the future of this building.
One of the next, critical steps in the process will be to form a building committee made up of a cross-section of the community. We’ll be looking for people with building experience, space-planning knowledge, fund-raising experience as well as those of you who love to use the library or who just have some ideas about where the library might go from here in terms of space. We’ll be putting out a call for participants in early fall. If you already know you’d like to be involved, contact Lesley now and I’ll be sure to get you on the list when the time comes.
February 2007
In addition to the money previously approved to conduct a site/building study of the Municipal Center in the winter/spring of 2007, additional money has been requested in the updated Capital Improvements Program that will be presented, discussed and voted on at the March 16, 2007 Town Meeting. These requested funds would be in place for the next step of the planning process after the outcome of the site/building study: architectural and design work.
Once we have some important answers about the current Municipal Center (how much expansion can the site and building support, how would expansion affect current infrastructure, and what is the maximum amount of additional space that could be gotten from the building/site as is and/or with an addition and renovation), we will want to move forward with more detailed planning which will require a design/architectural professional to create a real plan for the space so that the community can begin to discuss and review future needs, growth and the vision for an expanded Library and Municipal Center.
Please participate in the Town Meeting at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, March 16, 2007. The presented Capital Improvements Program will help us all understand what the large, upcoming expenses facing the Town are, and what kind of a timeline some projects are anticipated to involve.
December 2006
With the police department moving into their new building on Portsmouth Ave in 2007, many people are wondering what impact that will have on the library and the town offices in the Municipal Center.
The police department is moving out of the smallest space in the Municipal building, so it isn’t yet known exactly what changes will happen after the department has moved, nor the most appropriate, efficient use of that space. As the town continues to grow, the town offices, the library, and the recreation department are all feeling growing pains: increased demand for services requires more space for programs, general services and collection space in the library and the increased demand will also eventually necessitate more library employees to provide those services. Happily, this building has served the community’s needs very well since 1989 and we are all excitedly looking towards its continued use in the future.
In early 2007, a site/building study will be conducted so that we can begin to answer some questions about the current Municipal Center and how it can best serve the town’s future needs. The library board of trustees and the board of selectmen are committed to a thoughtful, transparent process of examining current resources, use and needs before considering future needs and possibilities. Also in 2007 a revised strategic plan for the library will be released, addressing future needs and outlining a community-focused approach to meeting those needs.
| |
