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Brown County Central Library Restoration
$10,000,000.00 - 150 jobs - CDBG Program
64% voted critical - 36% voted not critical - 174 votes cast
Yes
No
Wiki Description
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[edit] General Description
The Central Library building is 37 years old. It was designed before the Internet, before computers, before music CDs, videos, video games and DVDs, before coffee shops in book stores, before libraries were widely used as community centers, before early childhood education was known to be essential in child development. It has Americans with Disability Act issues and asbestos problems. The library's infrastructure -- heating and ventiliating system, lighting, electrical wiring, elevators, windows, etc -- has aged. All of these systems are past their life expectancies. In addition, the layout of the library's operations, the space allotted to books and other items in the library's collection, the service desks, the signage, the workflow, the furnishings need to be renovated and updated for the future. A space needs analysis has shown that an addition to the front of the building and a small addition allowing a drive-up window in the back of the building will serve the library for 20 more years. But, an investment in new infrastructure is necessary. The Brown County Library is a national and state award-winning library, with a proven track record of contributing to its community. However, an outdated building with HVAC, energy-efficiencies, ADA and asbestos concerns hamper the effectiveness of the library, as well as threaten the health and safety of staff members and the public it serves. The project will create new jobs for construction workers while increasing demand for building materials from suppliers and services from local businesses. Once the capital improvement project is completed, local businesses will continue to benefit from the increased traffic generated by the library, as has been demonstrated in other cities with new downtown libraries. Furthermore, the technological upgrades and addtional space for educational materials will provide students from early childood through college the valuable researching and learning tools they need to succeed in the 21st century classroom.
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