Library Friends look to county for support

BY KIRK STARRATT

kstarratt@kentvilleadvertiser.ca

NovaNewsNow.com

The Friends of the Kentville Public Library Society has its sights set firmly on developing a new, bright, modern library facility to serve Kentville and surrounding communities. However, the support of local municipalities is needed to see the vision through the planning stage.

Society chair Frances Schagen, who made a presentation to Kings County council’s committee of the whole (COTW) at the February session, said they’ve completed their business case with the help of the Kings Community Economic Development Agency and other in-kind support and have held successful fundraising initiatives, including a recent book sale.

She said they have chosen an architect, Brian MacKay-Lyons of MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects Limited, who is now back in Nova Scotia and looking to participate in projects such as this.

“We have one of the best architects in the world,” she said. “To work with someone who is one of the best in the world is quite empowering.”

MacKay-Lyons, along with Talbot Sweetapple, a partner in the architectural firm, will hold community consultations before designing the facility. The firm has contracted Gerry Shoalts of Shoalts and Zaback Architects Limited, an architect who specializes in libraries, to design the interior. The first meeting with the public is coming up at the Nova Scotia Community College Kingstec Campus in Kentville Tuesday, March 25 from 7-9:30 p.m.

She said the library would be the main focus of the facility, but they are considering including an art gallery, coffee and teashop and restaurant, depending on the success of fundraising initiatives. She said modern libraries have these additional features and attractions, not to mention lots of natural light, comfortable seating and outdoor space.

Working budget of $2.5 million

The Valley Community Learning Association (VCLA) is interested in having space in the new library and the Kings Historical Society has expressed interest in a genealogy lab in the facility. There would be accessible community rooms as well.

She said they have a working budget of $2.5 million for the project, although this is subject to change. The society hopes to raise half the funds in the community. Schagen said they would ask for 20 per cent of the cost of the building from the county and 20 per cent from the Town of Kentville. They would like to complete the project by 2011, in time for the town’s 125th anniversary.

Once the facility is designed, the society plans to tackle fundraising, employing a professional fundraiser and others who have worked on large capital campaigns in the past.

Schagen said the society has about $20,000 at this point, but it isn’t enough to cover both the architectural work and fundraising costs. She thanked the county for providing $10,000 last year and asked for another $10,000 to cover these ongoing costs. That’s how they plan to utilize the municipal contribution. She said the professional fundraiser would help them build a plan and train others.

‘People need libraries’

Councillor Wayne Atwater said libraries were on a slippery slope when he last served on the library board. However, Schagen pointed out that there is a lot more to today’s library than just books. Use of the current Kentville library is up 20 per cent in the last year.

“We’re in the information age,” she said. “People need libraries. Librarians are trained to help people find information.”

Schagen said she has heard Kings County has a 50 per cent illiteracy rate and that’s not acceptable. If we want to grow in Kings County, she said we need a community that’s educated and has access to information.

Councillor Janet Newton said the Kentville Library is used by her constituents, county residents and the county pays money to the Valley Regional Library, but there are only two libraries in the county as well as the bookmobiles.

“I think this is a win-win for us,” she said. “We can support it, but we won’t have the ongoing cost of operating a library.”

Councillor Jim Taylor said he doesn’t think we have enough libraries and “illiteracy is a cancer in our society.”

Schagen said they have identified a couple potential sites for the new library. She said the basement of the current library building, which used to be shared by the Kentville Police, is blocked off. She said the current building is of no value and there are environmental concerns associated with past usage of the site.

Warden Fred Whalen suggested getting in touch with the Bill Gates Foundation about funding computers for the new library.

Newton made a motion to send the society’s funding request to the county’s upcoming budget deliberation process. The motion carried.