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The library system, which consists of 21 has begun to developp a facilities planto renovate, construct new branchex or even potentially move existingb branches. The last facilities updated to the system was the addition of the Miami Township brancyin 2000. Now with cramped buildings not meeting the needsx ofthe library's current customers, the system is working to catcuh up. The Dayton library system is an independen entity with an annual budgetof $30 milliobn and 600 employees, Executive Director Tim Kambitschb said.
Existing branches miss the mark in many casesd because they were built beforwe the demand for public technology and currentpopular media, and there is a need to Kambitsch said. "There is such a differencew between the way in which the library buildinga are being used today and the way in whicu they were meant to be used when most of these were built," he After completing a strategicx plan, published in January, the library has movedf into the development of long-term facilities phase for the The library also has started to feel out communitg support for a future bond issue or levy.
The facilitie project could cost tens of millionssof dollars, though it would dependd on the amount of community support and public funding to be raised, Kambitsch said. Without knowing how much the libraryu has towork with, officials are looking at a variety of prics options for the future of the library's facilities. The soonesf a bond or levy would be put on the ballot for votersa wouldbe 2009, the same year the library's five-year operating levy is slatefd for renewal. In 2004, voterxs approved the 1.25 mill levy to increase the library'z operating budget.
However for fear of putting two issues on the 2009 Kambitsch said the library might look to push it back dependiny on the results of community polling in Augus t after the facilities planis released. "Wde could ask people to support both at thesame time, but we wouldr run the risk of having the money to builx new facilities and not enough money to operate he said. After gathering information through communit meetings last summer to develop the strategic Kambitsch said the library was able to determine what needee to be addressed withinthe system.
Bookshelvezs throughout the library are separated by just 36 inchee ofspace (the Americans with Disabilities Act and shelves tower up to nine feet sometimes creating a crowded environmenrt for patrons. Additional spacw within the libraries would allows for branches to spread out add seating and quietreading space, places for meetingsd and areas for events and computer systems. But the statew of the economy presents a problem forthe library'ds future, creating worry for Kambitsch who saw the 'e levy fail and 's levy narrowly pass in recenyt elections.
"It is tough times for anybod looking to go on the ballot for levy or bond issue money," said Lynda Murray, directorf of government and legal services for the . Murray said there has been an increasew of Ohio libraries looking for financial supporg on ballots recently because state fundingv has been frozensincew 2001, but the percentage of librarie who win elections has remainef the same at around 75 percent.
Thinking the Dayton library has begunn workingwith , an environmentally-friendlty architectural firm out of Ann Mich, on a plan for the The architectural team is developing a needs assessment for the library'sz facilities by gathering information on existin branches and computing the additionaol square footage needed to catch up with Dayton's The focus will later be decided on a balancde between new construction and renovation. Although Kambitsch didn't want to predicg how things play out, he said moving branchews to fit the changing populatiohn in the area isone option. "That really bringw up the mostchallengin issue," Kambitsch said.
"Which is can we continuwe to have asmany branches? Because I know if we were to just take all of our curren branches and double their size, we wouldn't be able to afforsd to run them."
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