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Harmony Library, Front Range Community College, Ft. Collins CO Site Visit Notes 7-21-08 Bill Cochran • 5,300-6,000 students • 400 high school students taking voc-ed classes on campus • Although there is seasonal variation, public patrons represent about 60% of circulation and Front Range Community College (FRCC) students, faculty and staff the remainder • FRCC owns and manages the buildings, grounds, security, parking, etc. • There is one campus librarian and a large number of work-study students, with the balance of staff being provided by the Ft. Collins Public Library District (PL) • The Branch Manager is a PL employee • The most frequent and serious complaints have been about parking for the public; this has diminished since more dedicated public parking space was provided • All parking lot construction and maintenance is paid for by student fees • Dr. Butzek, of FRCC Administration, said that a dedicated, stand-alone college library would be preferable in the best possible world, but that the Harmony Library model works • Planning process started two years before the 1998 opening • FRCC would like more study space for students; there may be an addition to the Library, which would include quiet rooms • The Library includes 33,000 gross square feet • All staff have to be generalists and willing to serve everyone from pre-schoolers to faculty • There are no unions representing staff of either parent institution • The collections of the two institutions are intershelved • Fines paid to both FRCC and the PL go into a single account, which is used to purchase equipment, capital, etc. • A joint community discourse program has outgrown the Library space and moved to the Student Center • The planning estimated 260,000 annual visits; the actual annual visitation is currently about 500,000 • All of the facilities maintenance work is done in-house; including snow removal • The facility sometimes serves as ‘day care for older kids’ and they experience some vandalism, but not as much as the downtown Ft. Collins Public Library • FRCC has a groundskeeper, 2 structural trade skilled workers, a plumber, etc. and there are two custodians specifically assigned to Harmony Library • There is a ‘TrackIt’ work order request system; all requests are submitted through the Branch Manager or College Librarian • The building is in use 98% of the year; closed only 7 days all year • Although the 33,000 square feet represent 18% of campus, the building only uses about 12% of the campus energy • FRCC spends $33,000/year just for the night-time custodians, who work 7 days a week • Carpets are cleaned four times per year at a cost $3,000 each time • Sterilize upholstery in Children’s area about once a week • $2,500 mats in entry wear out every couple of years • The building is carpeted with carpet squares • Motorized shades prevent patrons damaging the shades or injuring themselves; they cost $14,000 • $1,600 per year to have windows washed twice • Some kids have developed a comfort level with the facility and gone on to enroll in FRCC. • Before the newly dedicated public parking was constructed, it was difficult for many public library patrons to find the library building on campus; a colored sidewalk leading to it helped some. • The library building’s location on a corner of the campus helps with visibility to the public. ---PAGE BREAK--- • There are 1,600 total parking spots on campus, of which 200 are dedicated for public library parking. • All building and grounds costs are charged to the Library Building account, which is all State/FRCC funded. • The FRCC campus operates with a Director of Public Safety and 7 officers. • There is a security presence 7 days a week; 2 officers on shift Monday through Friday daytime, 2 at night, and 1 on days on weekends. Custodians are additional eyes and ears at night. • The campus includes 47 acres and 7 main buildings. • Parking is perhaps the biggest issue needing to be addressed in planning; with the 200 new public spaces, it is not much of a problem anymore. • No parking passes or permits are used. • The State/FRCC pays the salary of .5 FTE of an officer for the Library. • Strobe, alarms, all other safety and security equipment are also paid by the State/FRCC. • A security camera system was developed, in consultation with the PL regarding privacy concerns. • Security cameras are not watched on an ongoing basis. They are used to help with investigation retroactively. The camera covers the lobby, which is the only way in and out of the Library, but is not in the Library itself. • A separate camera is set up outside the Children’s area emergency fire exit. • IT is managed by FRCC and it works well.