The Library Facilities Needs Assessment Committee met at the Hatfield Public Library at 6:40 p.m.
Present: Martin Antonetti, Dodie Gaudet, Susan Gaughan, Harold Green, Lynn Omasta and Mary Williams. Also present: Stephen Hale, architect; Trustee Chair Melissa Green joined the group during the meeting.
Absent: Milton Howard
MOVED, SECONDED, VOTED: To pay Sheila for 4 additional hours of work and to pay Stephen Hale $7664.
There was discussion of the comments made from the Open Forum held February 21.
Issues were
- using or not using the space that is currently the children's room;
- that we haven't allocated enough space for the museum;
- one selectman wants both the library and museum in the present town hall.
The Committee has already discussed the fact that the library would not easily fit into the Town Hall or the Center School regardless of the amount of money spent. Stephen says there are much better uses of the Center School (e.g. apartments) than a library.
Martin suggested that if the museum were part of the library, we could include it in our construction plans. A combined collection (books, etc. and artifacts) under the authority of the library director would help with security of the museum collection. Can the library staff handle this additional responsibility? Would the new director be qualified to maintain the artifacts and other museum items?
We discussed various drawings of our final two options: add/reno to Dickinson or a new building next to Dickinson. A new building requires more overall footprint on the site. Abutters (currently Thomas and Mary Lynn Carroll) will be crowded. The town would lose some park-like space. Pushing the building back will encroach on the water detention area which may have to be reengineered. A new building will be less expensive than an add/reno and be better organized for a small staff.
An add/reno will cost approximately 20% more and be more difficult to design in terms of ensuring equal access regardless of mobility. It will require an elevator and two fire stairs because there will be 3 floors (basement, first floor, attic), and it will be more difficult to staff as there will not be a staff person on every floor. However, many townspeople want the library to stay in its current building. Committee members agreed that an add/reno would be an easier sell to the town.
MOVED, SECONDED, VOTED: Proceed with design for an addition/renovation to Dickinson Memorial.
Our next meeting is Thursday, March 12 at 6:30 p.m. at the Hatfield Library; Stephen Hale will attend this meeting.
Committee members are planning a day trip to visit some of Stephen’s other library projects. Tentative date is Friday, April 3.
The meeting adjourned at 8:21 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Dodie Gaudet, Secretary
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Thank You, Sheila
Sheila McCormick, Director of the Hatfield Public Library since 2001, is the Director of the Sunderland Public Library as of February 23, 2009.
Sheila has done an amazing amount of work for HPL, especially in the last two years. While members of the Board of Trustees helped, Sheila was the person who wrote the grant proposal which resulted in obtaining $40,000 from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners for a Planning and Design project. (As a stipulation for receiving the $40,000, HPL was required to raise an additional $20,000, which it did.)
Sheila helped to select the members of LFNAC - the Library Facilities Needs Assessment Committee - to implement the grant. Since November of 2007, LFNAC has been meeting regularly and Sheila attended every meeting.
It was Sheila who wrote the Builing Program, the document that is currently guiding LFNAC and architect Stephen Hale in choosing a location for the new, improved Hatfield Public Libraryand designing the actual building.
Thank you, Sheila, for all of your hard work. Please be sure to visit us in a few years (although we hope to see you sooner) when you can see the beautiful new library that you helped create for Hatfield.
Sheila has done an amazing amount of work for HPL, especially in the last two years. While members of the Board of Trustees helped, Sheila was the person who wrote the grant proposal which resulted in obtaining $40,000 from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners for a Planning and Design project. (As a stipulation for receiving the $40,000, HPL was required to raise an additional $20,000, which it did.)
Sheila helped to select the members of LFNAC - the Library Facilities Needs Assessment Committee - to implement the grant. Since November of 2007, LFNAC has been meeting regularly and Sheila attended every meeting.
It was Sheila who wrote the Builing Program, the document that is currently guiding LFNAC and architect Stephen Hale in choosing a location for the new, improved Hatfield Public Libraryand designing the actual building.
Thank you, Sheila, for all of your hard work. Please be sure to visit us in a few years (although we hope to see you sooner) when you can see the beautiful new library that you helped create for Hatfield.
LFNAC Minutes – February 12, 2009
The Library Facilities Needs Assessment Committee met at the Hatfield Public Library at 6:45 p.m.
Present: Martin Antonetti, Dodie Gaudet, Susan Gaughan, Harold Green, Milton Howard, Sheila McCormick, Lynn Omasta and Mary Williams. Also present: Stephen Hale, architect; and Rosemary Waltos from the Mass. Board of Library Commissioners
Stephen distributed updated site analysis matrix and ranking paperwork. He also presented more detailed drawings of the 5 possible sites including landscaping and parking. Our top two choices remain our top two choices.
There were several different drawings of an add/reno to Dickinson and also of a new building near Dickinson. There was much discussion of all possibilities.
LFNAC will meet with the Selectboard on Tuesday, February 17 at about 7:40 p.m. This will be a televised meeting, so some Hatfield residents will hear about our work to date. Selectboard members will see the ranking sheet. Stephen will not attend this meeting, but will be available by telephone if needed.
We will hold an open forum at the library on Saturday, February 21 from 1 to 3 p.m. Stephen will enlarge the drawings of the 2 sites. There will be no formal program, but Stephen and LFNAC members will be there to answer questions. There will be light refreshments. Lynn will create a poster and email it to all members to distribute. Harold will post the forum on cable. Dodie will post the forum at Town Hall and also contact the Hampshire Gazette.
After discussing the situation with Rosemary, we decided to remain with our goal of a presentation at Town Meeting in May. We will ask for approval of the design and also approval to proceed with the next step which is to apply for a construction grant. The next construction grant round is likely to take place in January of 2010.
Sheila’s last day is Wednesday, February 18. There will be a going away party for her that evening from 6-8 p.m. at the library.
Our next meeting is Thursday, February 26 at 6:30 p.m. at the Hatfield Library; Stephen Hale will attend this meeting.
The meeting adjourned at 8:40 p.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 present: Stephen Hale, architect; and Rosemary Waltos from the Mass. Board of Library Commissioners
Stephen distributed updated site analysis matrix and ranking paperwork. He also presented more detailed drawings of the 5 possible sites including landscaping and parking. Our top two choices remain our top two choices.
There were several different drawings of an add/reno to Dickinson and also of a new building near Dickinson. There was much discussion of all possibilities.
LFNAC will meet with the Selectboard on Tuesday, February 17 at about 7:40 p.m. This will be a televised meeting, so some Hatfield residents will hear about our work to date. Selectboard members will see the ranking sheet. Stephen will not attend this meeting, but will be available by telephone if needed.
We will hold an open forum at the library on Saturday, February 21 from 1 to 3 p.m. Stephen will enlarge the drawings of the 2 sites. There will be no formal program, but Stephen and LFNAC members will be there to answer questions. There will be light refreshments. Lynn will create a poster and email it to all members to distribute. Harold will post the forum on cable. Dodie will post the forum at Town Hall and also contact the Hampshire Gazette.
After discussing the situation with Rosemary, we decided to remain with our goal of a presentation at Town Meeting in May. We will ask for approval of the design and also approval to proceed with the next step which is to apply for a construction grant. The next construction grant round is likely to take place in January of 2010.
Sheila’s last day is Wednesday, February 18. There will be a going away party for her that evening from 6-8 p.m. at the library.
Our next meeting is Thursday, February 26 at 6:30 p.m. at the Hatfield Library; Stephen Hale will attend this meeting.
The meeting adjourned at 8:40 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Dodie Gaudet, Secretary
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