As with planning for personnel, planning for facilities will depend to a large degree on the kind of districting project that is being contemplated. Planning for facilities generally falls into two categories: (1) obtaining a new facility or facilities or (2) securing the present library facility or facilities.
- New Facilities. New facilities will be needed by a new district that is being established in an untaxed area with no existing libraries and which will be providing its own services. New facilities may also be needed when a district annexes a large unserved area some of which is located far from existing facilities. The creation of a new facility can be accomplished either by building a new structure or by remodeling an existing building. This is a major project, and if creating a new facility is part of your districting project, you will need to work closely with your Idaho Commission for Libraries area field consultant to find or create a suitable building.
- Shared Facilities. A library may share a common roof with another agency, such as a bank, a museum, or a community health facility. When sharing a roof, it is important for the library to have its own utility meters and Internet connection(s). Having its own Internet connection is especially important for a public library because:
- The library does not have to share bandwidth with others, preserving the speed and quality of the connection(s) for patrons and staff;
- The library has control over its technology and can more easily decide when to increase bandwidth, renegotiate terms, or change service providers without consulting others;
- The library can apply for and receive E-rate1 and state broadband reimbursement funding more easily without having to carefully detail how costs and service are split with others; and
- The library can troubleshoot issues with its Internet connection and network more easily.
- Existing Facilities. In many cases, a new library district’s services will be provided from facilities that are already being utilized as libraries. Typically, when a city library becomes part of a district library, the library building is expected to serve as a library facility for the district. This should not be assumed, however, particularly if the present library is a part of a larger city building. The working group will need to negotiate with the city council to secure the library building.
1 The universal service Schools and Libraries Program, commonly known as the E-rate Program, helps ensure that schools and libraries can obtain high-speed Internet access and telecommunications at
affordable rates
In the case of a stand-alone library, the city council may be willing to turn the building over to the library district or to sell the building to the district. [See chapter 14, title 50, Idaho Code.] If they are not willing to
do this, the working group will need either to negotiate a rental arrangement or to find another facility in the community.
When the library is part of a city building, the working group will need to negotiate with the city about how much the district will be expected to pay for rent and utilities.
When agreement is reached on how facilities will be transferred, a memorandum of agreement can be written with the city to clarify the terms of transfer, purchase, or rental.
Reality Check
These negotiations need to be completed before the creation of the district, so that voters will know what the cost of the district is likely to be.
NOTE: In some cases, cities that have operated their own libraries are willing to let a new district stay in the building, while the city maintains ownership and may even continue to pay the utilities. While this seems like a good arrangement for the district, a note of caution is advisable. By not controlling and paying the costs of its own buildings, the district may be opening itself to problems. Certainly, city taxpayers may have a legitimate legal complaint that they are being double-taxed for the library, since they will be paying the district tax that supports library services and the city tax that supports the building, while non-city residents only pay the district tax. In addition, a change in the city attitude in its approach to the building may create problems later. A future city administration may require the district to pay rent on the building. If the district is unprepared for this expense, it could mean unexpected cutbacks in library service.
Other Facility Expenses.
In making decisions about facilities, there are some expenses to be considered. Insurance, utility costs, and costs for maintenance and repairs must all be considered. If the working group is considering using existing structures, particularly in new branches, it should seek out local opinions about the structures. Are they sound? How much are their typical utility bills? Are there any special problems? These are questions that need to be answered before deciding upon a facility.