1995-1999 – Library Board and Director discussed branch library options; satellite library development advocated in “Gateway to Information,” the Library’s long-range plan for 1998-2002
October 2000 – Extended (branch) library service plan presented in City Commission study session
February 2001 – Additional branch library service information presented in City Commission study session
July 2001 - $200,000 placed in special reserve fund by City Commission to begin planned, but uncompleted, three-year savings program for satellite library project implementation
September 2003 – Discussions with City Commissioners indicated expansion project should focus exclusively on expanding existing library in downtown Lawrence
October 2003 – Library Board created “New Development Task Force” designed to be representative of various segments of the community; purpose was to gather ideas and public opinion regarding library expansion
January-March 2004 – Intensive meeting schedule for New Direction Task Force
April 2004 – New Direction Task Force-sponsored public meeting, and two-day design exercise – current site favored over four other considered sites
December 2004 – New Direction Task Force library expansion report completed and delivered to City Commission; report concluded expanded library facilities essential to provide adequate library service to growing community, and listed benefits and new services that could be provided in an expanded facility
LINK: http://www.lawrencepubliclibrary.org/newdir/report.html
January 2005 – City Commission study session / presentation of library expansion report; further study of issue endorsed
June 2005 – RFP for library consultant services developed and disseminated
August 2005 – Potential consulting firms interviewed; MS&R/LPA (Jeff Scherer/Anders Dahlgren) selected as building consultants; Gould Evans (Steve Clark) selected as “primary consultant” (City funds originally designated for satellite library service used to pay for consultant studies)
October-December 2005 – Consultants on site for information gathering sessions with Library staff, and to conduct four “public visioning sessions”
February 2006 – City Commission study session – receive consultants’ report
LINK: attached file Library_Expansion_Report_Summary.pdf
5. EXPLORE
PARTNERSHIPS WITH PRIVATE DEVELOPERS
April 2006 – City issued RFP for private developers interested in partnering with the City on library expansion project
June 2006 – City Commission study session – received reports from four private developers interested in library expansion project; City Commission asked City staff to prepare feasibility study for four projects received; planned to discuss library expansion project as catalyst for downtown redevelopment and revitalization
September 2006 – City Commission and Library Board toured Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library to view a modern public library facility; Library Board decided to present a proposal to City Commission that was scaled back from the consultants’ recommendations in order to cap expansion costs at $30 million
October 2006 – Library staff met with Steve Clark to scale back library size; the architectural program was cut from 115,000 to 94,000 square feet
November 2006 – Steve Clark and the Library Board developed criteria to evaluate and rank the developer proposals; Board and staff committee worked with Steve Clark to perform ranking – Eldridge Redevelopment Plan received highest ranking and was recommended to City Commission as preferred site for new library
LINK: attached file Steve_Clark_Report_12-19-06.pdf
December 2006 – City Commission received report
April 2007 – Library Board Chair John Nalbandian sent letter to City Commission encouraging their review of recent consultant studies
August 2007 – City Commission study session scheduled to discuss library expansion project