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TO: PARMLY BILLINGS LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES FROM: DAN CARTER, CHAIR SUBJECT: FUNDING COMMITTEE REPORT MEETING DATE: MAY 8, 2008 The Facilities Committee met for its inaugural meeting on Monday, April 7. It was an introductory meeting that was designed to review our statement of purpose and develop parameters for future discussion. The committee has representatives from the city, county, Big Sky EDA, the Library Foundation and local business and is a good cross-section of the community. Library Director Bill Cochran provided the committee with a copy of the current “Community Connection” strategic plan, and we discussed recent developments in the community that laid the foundation for the committee’s purpose. While the MSU Billings College of Technology Joint Community Library Project remains the top priority for facility development and direction in the future as outlined in the board’s strategic plan, the committee also wants to develop boundaries for Library Board discussion for feasibility of a 15,000 square-foot branch in Billings Heights as well as specific needs for a 60,000 square-foot Downtown Billings facility to replace the existing facility if or when the existing facility is either boxed in by development or forced to relocate through some development plan. The basic premise moving forward for the facilities committee is threefold: 1) While the current facility for the library has its limitations and is largely undesirable for future growth, the location is a prime spot to serve the community of Billings and that needs to be considered whenever community-wide discussion comes up about development at 4th and Broadway. Therefore, the committee wants to develop a specific list of recommendations for the Library Board that Director Bill Cochran, board trustees, library supporters or the community as a whole can use in discussion with city officials or developers. Those recommendations would include, but not be limited to: a. Adequate square footage to serve the community (we’re looking at 60,000 square feet) b. Benchmarks for best practices in service delivery (work stations for staff, mobile services, etc.) c. Potential partnerships d. Projected community needs for a renovated or new library (Small recording studios? Coffee shop?, etc.) e. Parking and access 2) The Library Board has a stated and public commitment to development of the COT Joint Community Library on the West End. That effort will require a large degree of support, fund-raising and advocacy. As discussions move forward, the facilities committee’s role will be to provide to the Library Board with recommendations on: a. Benchmarks and best practices on service delivery b. Report on the current and projected population and census trends that will affect service on the West End c. Other recommendations that will keep that project at the front of the community’s mind 3) The feasibility of a new branch library in Billings Heights should be explored ---PAGE BREAK--- The following week, on April 15, I presented a Facilities Committee update to the Parmly Billings Library Foundation Board of Trustees. The next meeting of the Facilities Committee is Monday, May 12 at noon in the third floor meeting room. You are all invited to attend.