The Library Facilities Needs Assessment Committee met at the Hatfield Public Library at 9:06 a.m.
Present: Dodie Gaudet, Susan Gaughan, Harold Green, Sheila McCormick, Lynn Omasta and Mary Williams
Absent: Martin Antonetti, Milton Howard
We reviewed the matrix again and made some adjustments. The final rankings remained the same: the top two sites are a new building near Dickinson and an addition/renovation to Dickinson; a new building near Smith Academy is in the middle; the two bottom choices are renovation of the Center School and addition/renovation of a portion of Town Hall.
Stephen Hale is coming to Hatfield on Monday, January 19 to view more closely the buildings that could possibly be renovated for a new library. He will be accompanied by an engineer. Harold will get keys to the Center School so that Stephen and the engineer can go inside.
Rosemary Waltos of the Mass Board of Library Commissioners (Ann Larson’s replacement) visited the Hatfield Library. She used words such as “deplorable” and “unacceptable working conditions”. According to Rosemary, there will possibly be a round of construction grants in January 2010. If so, libraries have until summer 2010 to submit their final plan. Rosemary sees no reason for LFNAC to go to Town Meeting before the construction grant round is announced.
The Committee debated the pros and cons of presenting the final plan at Town Meeting in May 2009. We should have completed site selection by early February. Exactly why are we going to Town Meeting in 2009? What are we asking the town? What will the warrant say? Many members want to report our results and get a feel for the sentiment for a new library. If it is not favorable, that gives us a year to market the idea.
Wording of the warrant is very important. The warrant will ask the town to accept the LFNAC report, give the committee permission to proceed with the project, and to apply for grants. We are not requesting funding at this point, although since the library will be open to all town residents, we expect the town to pay a portion of the building costs. We also expect to get approximately 50% (maybe a little more) of the building costs from the state and to raise a lot of money privately.
MOVED, SECONDED, VOTED: To ask for a “placeholder” for a warrant at Town Meeting.
MOVED, SECONDED, VOTED: LFNAC requests the Library Trustees to begin the fundraising process. LFNAC will help with presentations.
We need to plan educational programs, forums, meetings, promotional materials, etc.
We will mount the categories of the matrix and the resulting graph on the LFNAC blog. [Harold supplied the materials and Dodie imported the graphic into the blog, but it was too small to read. Harold will see if he can make the graphics larger.]
Sheila has distributed spiral bound copies of the Building Program to Selectboard members and will also give a copy to Louise Slysz.
LFNAC would like to meet with the Historical Commission to discuss the new library vis a vis the museum space. HC meets at the end of January.
Harold will go to the next meeting of the Center School group to learn what’s happening that may have an impact on LFNAC’s plans.
Our next meeting is Monday, January 26 at 6:30 p.m. at the Library. Stephen Hale will attend this meeting.
The meeting adjourned at 10:59 a.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Dodie Gaudet, Secretary
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Monday, January 19, 2009
LFNAC Minutes – January 5, 2009
The Library Facilities Needs Assessment Committee met at the Hatfield Public Library at 6:37 p.m.
Present: Martin Antonetti, Dodie Gaudet, Harold Green, Milton Howard, Sheila McCormick, Lynn Omasta and Mary Williams
Absent: Susan Gaughan
Also attending: Stephen Hale, Architect; Tim Heatwole, Landscape Architect; Rick Martin, Secretary of both the Historical Society and Historical Commission; Corey Bardwell, Historical Society Treasurer; Huddie Bardwell, Historical Society Vice-President
Rick reported on conversations with Historical Society officers and Board of Directors.
HS is committed to taking care of the historical collection in the Dickinson building. HS does not want to move. HS does not want less space than it currently has. If the Library vacates the building, HS will work with other town departments to expand to the first floor. If LFNAC chooses an addition/renovation of Dickinson, HS will work with LFNAC. Once LFNAC has made a decision about the Library, HS will work within those plans. The ideal situation for HS is more space and to have display space. Other officers reiterated that they are waiting for LFNAC to present a plan and that they will respond to that.
Rick, Corey and Huddie left the meeting.
Stephen Hale handed out a schedule of proposed meetings and topics through May. The Committee made some changes due to state holidays.
Stephen passed out a matrix for site selection which had been revised based on LFNAC’s comments at the December 20 meeting. With this new and adjusted information, the top two sites are a new building near Dickinson and an addition/renovation to Dickinson. The two bottom choices are renovation of the Center School (serious issues with handicapped accessibility) and addition/renovation of a portion of Town Hall. A new building near Smith Academy is in the middle.
We viewed slides of the sites, several views of each, including some preliminary ideas for a new, improved Library. There was a lot of discussion of the various possibilities.
Our next meeting is Saturday, January 17, 9:00 a.m. at Hatfield Public Library. At that meeting, we will refine the matrix and also begin planning information sessions for residents.
The following meeting will be Monday, January 26 at 6:30 p.m. at the Library. Stephen Hale will attend this meeting.
Sheila distributed spiral bound copies of the Building Program.
The meeting adjourned at 8:24 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Dodie Gaudet, Secretary
Present: Martin Antonetti, Dodie Gaudet, Harold Green, Milton Howard, Sheila McCormick, Lynn Omasta and Mary Williams
Absent: Susan Gaughan
Also attending: Stephen Hale, Architect; Tim Heatwole, Landscape Architect; Rick Martin, Secretary of both the Historical Society and Historical Commission; Corey Bardwell, Historical Society Treasurer; Huddie Bardwell, Historical Society Vice-President
Rick reported on conversations with Historical Society officers and Board of Directors.
HS is committed to taking care of the historical collection in the Dickinson building. HS does not want to move. HS does not want less space than it currently has. If the Library vacates the building, HS will work with other town departments to expand to the first floor. If LFNAC chooses an addition/renovation of Dickinson, HS will work with LFNAC. Once LFNAC has made a decision about the Library, HS will work within those plans. The ideal situation for HS is more space and to have display space. Other officers reiterated that they are waiting for LFNAC to present a plan and that they will respond to that.
Rick, Corey and Huddie left the meeting.
Stephen Hale handed out a schedule of proposed meetings and topics through May. The Committee made some changes due to state holidays.
Stephen passed out a matrix for site selection which had been revised based on LFNAC’s comments at the December 20 meeting. With this new and adjusted information, the top two sites are a new building near Dickinson and an addition/renovation to Dickinson. The two bottom choices are renovation of the Center School (serious issues with handicapped accessibility) and addition/renovation of a portion of Town Hall. A new building near Smith Academy is in the middle.
We viewed slides of the sites, several views of each, including some preliminary ideas for a new, improved Library. There was a lot of discussion of the various possibilities.
Our next meeting is Saturday, January 17, 9:00 a.m. at Hatfield Public Library. At that meeting, we will refine the matrix and also begin planning information sessions for residents.
The following meeting will be Monday, January 26 at 6:30 p.m. at the Library. Stephen Hale will attend this meeting.
Sheila distributed spiral bound copies of the Building Program.
The meeting adjourned at 8:24 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Dodie Gaudet, Secretary
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
LFNAC Minutes – December 20, 2008
The Library Facilities Needs Assessment Committee met at the Hatfield Public Library at 9:08 a.m.
Present: Martin Antonetti, Dodie Gaudet, Susan Gaughan, Harold Green, Milton Howard, Sheila McCormick, Lynn Omasta and Mary Williams
Also: Rick Martin, Secretary of both the Historical Society and Historical Commission
The first order of business was how best to incorporate the Historical Society Collection into a new library.
Rick thanked LFNAC for the work it has been doing. The Historical Society is interested in taking over the entire Dickinson Building if the Library vacates it. If the project turns out to be an add/reno, the Historical Soc. wants to be part of the new facility. HS ideally wants to double the space it has and is willing to pursue grants to help fund its portion of the construction; HS has money for matching grants. HS will not voluntarily accept less space than it currently has.
Issues that were discussed: Library will be doing lots of fundraising. Are members of the Hist. Soc willing to participate? If Library takes over the entire building, what happens to the HS? If the Library vacates Dickinson, and the HS takes over, this is a “change of use” and must be upgraded to meet ADA requirements. If Library vacates, can HS afford to maintain entire building? LFNAC does not want to be responsible for having another vacant town building. Rick insisted that HS will find a way to maintain Dickinson. Said that ideally HS wants the original part of the building (i.e. the two front rooms and the attic) and hopes the museum would be open more hours. There are people willing to volunteer if they have a specific project. There are some people in town that expect the Library and Museum to co-exist. HS will support LFNAC’s recommendation and work with it.
Town sentiment seems to vary widely as to the best location for the Library. Some think the Library should stay in the original portion of Dickinson plus a new addition and that the Museum should be located in the new addition. Others like the idea of moving the Library to the Center School. Other ideas have also been expressed to different committee members.
The Historical Society is scheduled to meet in February. LFNAC needs more specific information from all of the officers before its next meeting on January 5. Rick will telephone other officers and perhaps have a conference call.
MOVED, SECONDED and VOTED: To accept the minutes of the previous meeting on December 6.
There was some discussion about the two Catholic churches merging, leaving a vacant building near the center of town. The decision as to which church will be used will be made by the Bishop likely after LFNAC has completed its work. Committee members decided the vacant church is not a viable option due to timing.
Stephen Hale arrived. At 10:15.
The first task is site selection since any plans will be based on the site. There are 5 possible sites:
1. Add/reno to Dickinson
2. Reno to Center School
3. Add/reno to Town Hall (not enough space for a separate new building)
4. New building near Smith Academy
5. New building near Dickinson
Stephen passed out a Site Analysis Matrix that he had compiled based on information he had gathered so far. The Matrix lists several criteria, rates each one and then assigned points for each to the 5 possible sites. This will give us an objective way to compare the sites. The sooner we can eliminate some sites, the more money we’ll have to put into the design of a preferred site. We reviewed the Matrix and made some adjustments. We will finalize the Matrix, except for engineering aspects, at our next meeting.
Stephen had also prepared a spreadsheet of an earlier version of our Building Program and made some suggestions. The spreadsheet is a good way to help visualize the spaces in relation to each other.
Sheila has not yet had the Building Program copied because she is still having some formatting problems. Harold and Martin will make another attempt to resolve the formatting and then the Program will be copied and distributed. The problems are not major, but are annoying (extra row in a table, extra space that refuses to be eliminated).
Next meeting: Monday, January 5 at 6:30 p.m.
Meeting adjourned at 11:36 a.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Dodie Gaudet, Secretary
Present: Martin Antonetti, Dodie Gaudet, Susan Gaughan, Harold Green, Milton Howard, Sheila McCormick, Lynn Omasta and Mary Williams
Also: Rick Martin, Secretary of both the Historical Society and Historical Commission
The first order of business was how best to incorporate the Historical Society Collection into a new library.
Rick thanked LFNAC for the work it has been doing. The Historical Society is interested in taking over the entire Dickinson Building if the Library vacates it. If the project turns out to be an add/reno, the Historical Soc. wants to be part of the new facility. HS ideally wants to double the space it has and is willing to pursue grants to help fund its portion of the construction; HS has money for matching grants. HS will not voluntarily accept less space than it currently has.
Issues that were discussed: Library will be doing lots of fundraising. Are members of the Hist. Soc willing to participate? If Library takes over the entire building, what happens to the HS? If the Library vacates Dickinson, and the HS takes over, this is a “change of use” and must be upgraded to meet ADA requirements. If Library vacates, can HS afford to maintain entire building? LFNAC does not want to be responsible for having another vacant town building. Rick insisted that HS will find a way to maintain Dickinson. Said that ideally HS wants the original part of the building (i.e. the two front rooms and the attic) and hopes the museum would be open more hours. There are people willing to volunteer if they have a specific project. There are some people in town that expect the Library and Museum to co-exist. HS will support LFNAC’s recommendation and work with it.
Town sentiment seems to vary widely as to the best location for the Library. Some think the Library should stay in the original portion of Dickinson plus a new addition and that the Museum should be located in the new addition. Others like the idea of moving the Library to the Center School. Other ideas have also been expressed to different committee members.
The Historical Society is scheduled to meet in February. LFNAC needs more specific information from all of the officers before its next meeting on January 5. Rick will telephone other officers and perhaps have a conference call.
MOVED, SECONDED and VOTED: To accept the minutes of the previous meeting on December 6.
There was some discussion about the two Catholic churches merging, leaving a vacant building near the center of town. The decision as to which church will be used will be made by the Bishop likely after LFNAC has completed its work. Committee members decided the vacant church is not a viable option due to timing.
Stephen Hale arrived. At 10:15.
The first task is site selection since any plans will be based on the site. There are 5 possible sites:
1. Add/reno to Dickinson
2. Reno to Center School
3. Add/reno to Town Hall (not enough space for a separate new building)
4. New building near Smith Academy
5. New building near Dickinson
Stephen passed out a Site Analysis Matrix that he had compiled based on information he had gathered so far. The Matrix lists several criteria, rates each one and then assigned points for each to the 5 possible sites. This will give us an objective way to compare the sites. The sooner we can eliminate some sites, the more money we’ll have to put into the design of a preferred site. We reviewed the Matrix and made some adjustments. We will finalize the Matrix, except for engineering aspects, at our next meeting.
Stephen had also prepared a spreadsheet of an earlier version of our Building Program and made some suggestions. The spreadsheet is a good way to help visualize the spaces in relation to each other.
Sheila has not yet had the Building Program copied because she is still having some formatting problems. Harold and Martin will make another attempt to resolve the formatting and then the Program will be copied and distributed. The problems are not major, but are annoying (extra row in a table, extra space that refuses to be eliminated).
Next meeting: Monday, January 5 at 6:30 p.m.
Meeting adjourned at 11:36 a.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Dodie Gaudet, Secretary
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