Jefferson to seek state funds for new library

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Jefferson to seek state funds for new library

Wednesday, February 24. 2010

Jefferson leaders agreed Monday night to seek a state grant to help fund a new library for the town.

Jefferson will seek $2 million through Georgia’s public library capital outlay grants program. If approved, the city would have to fund the remaining $2.8 million.

At a work session held earlier this month, Amy Carlan, branch manager of the Jefferson Public Library, said the library’s public meeting room is too small to host larger children’s events and thousands of books have been taken off limited shelf space.

The existing library, located at the intersection of Old Pendergrass Road and Hoschton Street, is within a short walking distance of four city schools and is 5,000 square feet. The council has discussed swapping the land with the Jefferson Board of Education and building a new 15,000 square foot facility elsewhere in the city.

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#1 FRUSTRATED TAXPAYER on 02/25/10 at 12:58 PM [Reply]

why would you even consider moving the library away from the schools? aren't students your major constituents? this would make it much harder for students to use the facility after school. where is the $2.8 million coming from? taxes are already outrageous!!! civic center, rec dept fields, downtown street scape, crawford long museum, remodel old courthouse, BOE purchase of old Martin Institue building--when will it end!! are you just trying to tax citizens so much that we finally leave??

#2 Susan Quinn on 02/26/10 at 08:33 AM [Reply]

I'm not happy about moving the library. I like the fact that it is close to the schools so that students can walk there. Is an extension to the building not an option?

On the other hand, I do think the library is very small and would enjoy a library with the space to provide additional books and more programs.

Jefferson is a GREAT place to live and has the potential to shine for the gem it is. I am interested to see the outcome of this decision.

#3 Emmett Delaney on 02/26/10 at 09:54 AM [Reply]

I think I know someone who will build a new library for less than 4.8 million.
I'm just saying.......................

#4 Paladin on 02/27/10 at 06:16 AM [Reply]

I thought that when the current library was built it was designed so additional space could be added in the future. What happened to that concept?

I, like Mr. Delaney, know a lot of people who could build a library for less than 4.8 million.

I utilize the library frequently and definately WOULD LIKE additional space. The current library system in Jefferson is first rate and would be even better with additional space for added volumes.

#5 Common Sense on 02/27/10 at 10:37 AM [Reply]

Why can't we add a second level to the library's present building? Is there a building code that says it is unsafe to do so? I would like to know because there are a lot of two story public buildings around.

#6 Another taxpayer on 02/27/10 at 02:09 PM [Reply]

This is just another dumb idea from a BUNCH of dumb people ,that's all they know, how can you think they will do bettwer ....they won't. All the laeadership in Jefferson is flawed and won't be fixed until they all are gone. I just know we all have the money to do this right now! How much more taxes can we take before we all want or have to leave?

#7 Why not? on 03/01/10 at 01:24 PM [Reply]

Why not move it into the renovated Courthouse? The city could rent from the county, if necessary. There is plenty of parking in the area, and having more folks in the downtown area would be good for those businesses.

#8 Sheree Garrison on 03/02/10 at 10:28 AM [Reply]

As a patron of the library for several years, I have found that the library needs additional space. The shelves are overcrowded with no additional room for books, and there needs to be more room. It is my understanding that there is no additional space to expand the library and that it would be too costly to try to expand "upward". We have many more people moving into the area, and need more space for books, computers, and also need additional room for classes and guest speakers. It would be a shame to have to limit the books the library gets because of room and/or funds. We must not take away reading from our children (and adults). I have found lately that it is getting harder to get new books as quickly as before, because of funding and/or room, as there is only so much room before books have to be thrown away. Any regular patron of the library knows that it is necessary to keep our books available and the expansion of the library is very necessary for the present, and especially the future.

#9 "O" no on 03/06/10 at 11:41 PM [Reply]

WOW - another brillant idea from government "LEADERS"! At one of the worst economical times in our history they are floating the idea of a new library - outstanding idea!!! Yes another project to blunder with cost over runs, hidden costs, & of course there is always the typical "mis-management" by some offical somewhere. Sounds like it has all the makings to be another "county courthouse" fiasco except at a Jefferson level.

Does the supposed grant pay for all the new furniture, computers, shelving, & other necessities needed to run a library? After it is built how much "extra" $$ will be needed to maintain the new facility?? Will additional staff be needed to operate the new library. If I'm not mistaken, as nice as a "new" library sounds....new & bigger library equates into new & bigger budget ($$$) in the upcoming years! If the economy stays flat or even gets worse in the coming years are the Jefferson taxpayers willing to flip the bill for this "needed project"?????

#9.1 Thomas Elliott on 03/08/10 at 02:47 PM [Reply]

IMHO Jefferson needs a larger library. The current building and grounds were created back in 1992 when residents could call one another by simply dialing the last 4 digits of the desired phone number. Since then, the population of Jefferson has more than doubled from 2,941 to 7,513 and Jackson County's population growth has kept pace with that of the City of Jefferson. In addition to patrons from Jefferson, many, many residents of Jackson County, children as well as adults, regularly use the expanded facilities of our library.
The Jefferson City schools and the Jackson County schools have had to grow and expand in classroom space and in the number and size of buildings to accommodate this growth. The Jefferson City Library, on the other hand has not grown at all since it was built.
Since 2005, the circulation at the library has grown from 77,254 to 127,058 and the library has not grown to match this huge increase. In fact, the library should have been expanded several years ago. Unfortunately for the residents of Jefferson, this action was not initiated in a timely manner and the patrons of the library - adults as well as children - will have to wait several years longer before the needed expansion can be realized. Applying for state funding is merely the first step in this long, slow process.
After our application is submitted, it must go through the usual bureaucratic process at the state level. Then, after approval, our request will be put on a long list of libraries already in the queue. Only a few library expansion/construction projects are funded each year. The entire process is expected to take approximately 5 years before funds are finally released to help us expand our existing inadequate facilities. This means that, although our current library is too small and the population/usage of our library continues to grow, we will have to wait that long before we get any improvement.
Are we, the citizens of Jefferson, so short-sighted that we can't look 5 years down the road and plan now for what will make us a better, happier, more literate community?

#10 Different Perspective on 03/10/10 at 08:17 AM [Reply]

Here we are thinking of spending millions on a new library that was built in 1992, while the police department is over 40 years old! Now mister Elliot has valid points on the growth and expansion of the city, which proves even more of a need why the police department is in desperate need of a new building. The current building that is used is delapidated severely, with mold and mildew growing daily, roof leaks everytime it rains, over crowded work conditions are to name a few. I agree that a new library would be a nice addition, however a new police department is long overdue. Having a professional police department is a necessity in every city. Now is the time for citizens of this city to speak up and support what is really needed.

#10.1 ojfdoisfhiosfh@hchfhw on 03/15/10 at 11:45 PM [Reply]

Well maybe if the leaders of that department would quit spending money on new cars for large over weight officers because they are so large they can't fit in a normal 30,000 dollar car ,there may be more money for a new building. One goofy little officer just spent over 600 dollars on hand sanitizer that you could have bought anywhere for a tenth of that. Maybe if you just cleaned up the property you have instead of talking about raising taxes more in this time, would be a better idea. I know let's just raise the fines and taxes, we'll buy anything we want, no matter how many taxpayers backs the Mayor and council break!

#11 beaver on 03/10/10 at 09:50 PM [Reply]

Enough with the fancy buildings in this county. This is not Hollywood. The jail should have been a tent. Most of all the building, we can't even afford the light bill. Look at he new high school, had to get someone the tell the princpal to turn off the lights, and on top of that we pay her 100,000 a year. No wonder the chidren have time to bet on fights and put them on youtube at that school, while the doughtnut cops stand around and laugh about it.

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