Referendum Pass

The referendum passed.

266 YES
108 NO

Thank you to everyone who came out to vote.

Referendum - Tuesday, May 22

Everyone should have received a copy of this card in the mail by now.  The referendum on the Town Hall and Library/Community Center building project will be on Tuesday, May 22, 2012.  The polls will be open from 6 am until 8 pm at the Lyme Fire House.  Absentee ballots are available at the Town Clerk's office through Monday.





Go to the town web site to read the Referendum Question

Information about the project is available on this blog, at the Lyme Town Hall and at the Lyme Public Library.

Copies of the Town Meeting Handout

Copies of the handout from the information meeting on May 11, 2012 are available for download.  Just click on the links on the sidebar to the right.  The documents include:

Project Site Plan
Town Hall Floor Plan
Library/Community Center Floor Plan
Town Hall Exterior Drawing
Library/Community Center Drawings (2)
Most Recent Budget Estimates

The Last Public Meeting

There will be a public meeting at the Lyme Consolidated School on Friday, May 11, 2012 beginning at 7:30 pm.  This is the last meeting before the referendum which is scheduled for Tuesday, May 22, 2012.  The architect will present the designs for the library/community center and the town hall and the latest budget figures.  The town will provide estimates of the cost to the individual taxpayer and the timeline for the project.  Of course, questions and comments will be welcome.

With the increase in "digital resources" is expanded library space really needed?

Today's guest blogger is Chuck Lynch, a long-time resident of Lyme, librarian, and hard working member of the Town Campus Center Planning Committee.

 

There are some predictions that by the middle of this century in thirty or forty years printed books and magazines will be replaced by electronic resources.  It is predicted that bookstores as we currently know them will become extinct.  If that is the case, what is to become of public libraries and their print collections?  The Association of American Publishers reports that electronic book sales currently account for only 9 percent of the overall book market and experts predict that printed books will remain the primary format for at least the next 20 or 30 years. Although many predicted that the rise in popularity of the Internet would make libraries obsolete, in reality the demand for library resources is higher than ever, and there is no reason to believe that the gradual change from print materials to digital materials will change that.  Libraries have evolved to respond to their users needs and will continue to do so in the future. 

Conventional print magazines and indexes are now available through online resources provided by the State library or subscription services at the local public and school libraries.  LP records and audio cassettes have been replaced by CDs and other digital formats.  However, despite the growing popularity of digital resources, they are not free. People can’t afford to purchase all of them and will turn to the library, which can provide free access through discounts negotiated at the state or local level.  Through the years public libraries have adapted to technological changes and continue to provide citizens important resources and programs.  Printed books will continue to be popular with library users for several more decades, and the current library does not have enough space for its existing collection let alone new resources. 

Similarly, meeting space is greatly needed for use by the public during and after library hours.  The Children's library also needs more space for library materials as well as craft projects and story hour.  The current library facility does not have adequate space for these important programs, and the lack of storage and staff work space hinders the ability to maintain the facility properly and for the library to function efficiently.  Also, the new library building will be more environmentally sound. 

Why renovate the town hall and build a new library?

Town Hall Floor Plan

The architect was asked to present ideas for renovating both buildings, building two new buildings and combining the town hall and library into one building.  The committee’s one requirement was to keep the historic church building.  In the end, renovating the town hall makes the best use of the church.  It also keeps the look of the town hall.

Library Floor Plan

On the other hand, the best choice was to build a new library.  The current building would be expensive to renovate.  Moving the library north and west of its current location makes full use of the property and allows for additional parking by the town hall.  From a design standpoint, the building would have to double in space in order to “fit in” a separate children’s room, space for the archives and a program room.  By building new, only an additional 2500 square feet is needed.

What is the scope of the project?

The plan is to renovate and expand the town hall and to build a new library.  The new buildings will be designed to meet current needs and to serve Lyme for the next 30 years.

The town hall will be expanded to approximately 4900 square feet.  The historic church building will be restored and returned to its original use as a meeting room.  There will be additional office space so that several part time employees will no longer have to share a desk.  A larger vault will meet state requirements and bring town documents out of the attic.

The new library will be just under 6800 square feet and will house the library and the Lyme Local History Archives.  A separate children’s room will solve current noise problems.  There will be more space for patrons to read and work and enough space to house the current collection.  A new community room and meeting rooms will be used for library programs and be available for use by local groups.