Millis Public Library - Millis, Massachusetts

The New Millis Public Library

The New Millis Public Library - Floor Plans

New Library Floor Plans - Key

MILLIS PUBLIC LIBRARY NEWSLETTER
Volume 2, No. 3 JULY 2011

On June 28, 2011, demolition began on the site where the new Millis Public Library will be built. For the next several weeks, now that the buildings have been demolished, this area will be prepared for actual construction. These next steps involve the removal of old foundations and stonework, removal and remediation of any contaminated soil, and preliminary site prep.

What will the new library look like?

This is the question that a lot of residents have been asking, and there are a number of meetings being planned at which this question will be answered. During the months of August and September, there will be two formal opportunities for the public to learn more about the plans and designs for the new Library.

The Architects will share their plans with the Board of Selectmen on August 15th at 7:30 p.m. All interested parties are invited to attend this meeting.

In addition, on Thursday, September 8th from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. the Library Trustees will be hosting an Open House at the Millis Public Library. The Open House will provide an opportunity for interested residents of all ages to ask questions or discuss the project. Plans and drawings of the new Millis Public Library will be available, and architects Matt Oudens and Conrad Ello will again be on hand to discuss the library project and answer specific questions about the new library design. Residents of all ages are encouraged to attend!

SAVE THE DATE!

LIBRARY OPEN HOUSE
Thursday, September 8, 2011

from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

As we move into the fall, site work will continue, construction documents will be finalized, and we will enter into the bid phase of the project. Each step in this process brings us closer to the start of actual construction. There has been much work behind the scenes to move this project forward as we transition from schematic designs to actual construction.

We are grateful to all of the hardworking members and staff of town boards, committees, and departments, including the Permanent Building Committee, the Planning Board, Board of Selectmen and Town Administrator, Board of Health, Town Accountant and Treasurer, the Building Inspector, Millis Police and Fire Departments, DPW, and many, many others for all of their help and support. A special thanks to the Town Engineer and Town Counsel for their professionalism and extraordinary attention to detail, as the project has evolved. It truly does take a village to build a library — and the new library being built is one that the Town of Millis will be very proud of for years to come.

We are looking ahead to possible groundbreaking later this fall, and we will share additional details and plans as they become available. For more information, please contact Library staff at 508-376-8282. Questions or comments about the library project may also be addressed to tperry@minlib.net or trustees@millislibrary.org.

LIBRARY NEWSLETTER
Vol. 2, No. 2 April 2011

What’s Happening With The New Library Building Project?

The new Millis Public Library is beginning to take on a definite shape and structure as we move from schematic design into design drawings.

During the months of February and March, the members of the Permanent Building Committee (Wayne Klocko,Chair), the Trustees, the Library Director and interested members of the public shared many Tuesday evenings discussing aspects of the new Millis Library. Topics have included interior floor plans, exterior massing variations and materials, elevations, sight lines, shelving counts, and a myriad of other details. The Committee continues to work towards creating a building design that will reflect the civic nature of the building,, respond to the architectural cues of the surrounding structures, and be a landmark to Millis residents and visitors.

To accomplish this, there have been many discussions about not only the form of the building, but also its function. As we move into the month of April, our architects, Matt Oudens and Conrad Ello, are working towards a fully articulated expression and design of the new Millis Public Library. We anticipate that we will be able to share with the community a visual representation of the New Millis Public Library in May.

In the meantime, efforts have also been underway to begin preparations for the demolition of the existing buildings on the site of the future library. Site work underway includes the identification of hazardous materials. Consultants have been retained to identify any potentially hazardous materials in advance of the actual demolition of these buildings. The actual demolition of the existing structures will begin in late May 2011. After the buildings are demolished, work can then begin on preparing the site for actual construction. This would involve removing old foundations and stonework, removing any contaminated soil, and preparing the site so that it is ready for construction to begin.

With much of the design work and preparation of the site underway, the start of actual construction (groundbreaking) should begin in early October 2011!

LIBRARY NEWSLETTER
Volume 1, No. 3 November 2010

The months of October and November were especially busy months for the Millis Permanent Building Committee and the Millis Library Construction Project.

With John Sayre-Scibona (our Owners's Project Manager) the group has been meeting regularly on Tuesday evenings to move things along. It is a very diverse team, with people of many different backgrounds, but it has proved to be a very dynamic group that really does communicate well. We are very lucky, I think, to have such a dedicated group, and are really fortunate to have the expertise of Wayne Klocko, as the Chair of the Permanent Building Committee.

In October, the PBC began the process of hiring an architect. With the assistance of our OPM, John Sayre-Scibona from DTI, an RFQ for Architectural Design Services was published on September 29, 2010. RFQ submittals were due on October 14, 2010. A pre-proposal briefing session and walk-through was held - in midst of torrential downpours - on October 6th.

Twelve firms submitted responses to the RFQ for Architectural Design Services. They included:

Beacon Architectural Associates

CBT-Childs Bertman Tseckares, Inc.

Donald Powers Architects, Inc.

DRA--Drummey Rosane Anderson, Inc.

Durland Van Voorhis

Hale & Associates Inc

Johnson Roberts Associates, Inc.

Lerner Ladds and Bartels

Oudens Ello Architecture

Raymond Design Associates, Inc.

Schwartz/Silver Architects

Utile

Using a qualifications-based selection process, a short list of four firms was asked to prepare for a follow-up interview. Interviews were held on Tuesday, October 26th. At the conclusion of the interviews, a final ranking of the short-listed respondents was created, and we are pleased to report that our first-ranked selection has been awarded a contract with the approval of the Board of Selectmen!

Work is already underway on developing schematic drawings. An Open House is being planned at the Library for late January, to offer all Millis residents an opportunity to meet with the architects. Stay tuned for further details!

LIBRARY NEWSLETTER
Volume 1, No. 2 - September 2010

Since our last update, there has been a lot of activity behind the scenes for the new Millis Public Library.

In August, 2008, the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners awarded a grant of $2,789,569 to the Town of Millis for new library construction. On September 9, 2010, this grant became a firm reality, as Millis received the first payment of $836,871 from the State.

In early August, 2010, the Town published an RFQ (Request for Qualifications) for an Owner's Project Manager. Sixteen applications were received, and after a rigorous qualifications review, interviews, and contract negotiation by the Permanent Building Committee, Design Technique Incorporated (DTI) was selected as the town's OPM. DTI has over thirty years of Owner's Project Management/construction related experience, with extensive experience in the field of library building and planning projects.

Members of DTI who will be working on the New Millis Public Library Project will be John Sayre-Scibona, Jay Stanbury, and Gordon Schaaf. John, who will be the Senior Project Manager, has been with DTI for 13 years and has successfully managed six library building projects. Jay, a registered architect, is a construction and scheduling specialist, and Gordon, who will provide Clerk of the Works services, recently completed similar projects at the Milton Public Library and the Flint Public Library in Middleton.

The first task for our new OPM firm will be to work with the Town of Millis to publish another RFQ--this time for architectural design services.

The publishing of this second RFQ is a very important step, as we will now be moving forward to the design phase of the project. The RFQ for architectural services will be published in the Central Register and in local papers by the end of September. In October, the Permanent Building Committee will review all of the submissions and will select at least three finalists. Finalists will then be invited to interview with the PBC, and following the interviews, the PBC will rank the finalists in order of qualification and will then proceed to negotiate a contract for design services for the new library.

To prepare for the design phase, the Library Trustees and the Library Director visited several libraries in the area. These visits have been invaluable.

Stay tuned for future developments. If you would like additional information, send an email to trustees@minlib.org. Your feedback is important to us!

What's Happening with the New Library Building Project?

We have progress to report on the New Millis Public Library Building Project!

First of all, the contract for our grant from the State has been signed (photo below). This means that we will be receiving our first check from the state for 30% of the $2,789,569 grant award in the next few weeks. And secondly, the Town has begun the search for an Owner's Project Manager (OPM). Following the approval of the Library Construction Project at Town Meeting on June 14, 2010, one of the first requirements is that the Town must engage the services of an Owner's Project Manager. This is a state-mandated requirement on all building projects that are estimated to cost $1.5 million or more. The Owner's Project Manager represents the interests of the Town and is the first person to be hired. Specifications have gone out seeking qualifications from interested candidates with submissions due early in August.

The OPM will assist the Permanent Building Committee to define the specifications for an architect, the next step in the process, and will assist in the overall management of the project. We expect that the OPM selection process will conclude in August and that selection of an architect will conclude in November. With an architect chosen, the design phase of the building process will begin.

To prepare for the design phase, the Library Trustees and the Library Director are in the process of visiting other comparable libraries in the area. These visits will help to refine the requirements for the New Millis Library. They also help us to learn about things that work well and things that do not work well. Our goal is to have a well-equipped library with separate areas that will include a large community room for programs, quiet study areas, a climate-controlled room for local history, a dedicated space for young adults, and comfortable seating areas for all.

In addition, as we progress further, there will be a number of committees formed with specific tasks relating to the building project. We will be looking for community involvement and volunteers for these committees. Watch for news of ways that you can participate in this process as a volunteer.

For more information, send an e-mail to trustees@minlib.org. Your feedback is important to us!

Thank you to all Millis Residents!

On Monday evening, June 14, 2010, at just a little past midnight, Millis voters voted overwhelmingly to approve the debt exclusion for the library construction project. With a vote of 663 to 152, Millis Voters approved the Construction Project for a New Millis Library!

The Trustees and Friends of the Millis Library and all of the Library staff thank you all for your input and your consideration of this issue.

We are now moving forward with the next steps in the process, including signing a contract with the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. The Permanent Building Committee and the Trustees will be working together as this new library takes shape. Please feel free to contact library staff with any questions you may have.

Sincerely,

Tricia Perry, Director

NEW MILLIS LIBRARY CONSTRUCTION PROJECT
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS-Updated May 4, 2010

What is planned for the proposed new library building?
The plan is for the proposed library to be a one-story 17,800 sq. ft. building constructed on a newsite at the corner of Exchange and Main Streets (Rte 109). The building would accommodate growing collections for children, teens, and adults as well as increased public space with comfortable seating, a larger children's area for programs and activities, a gathering space for teens, quiet study areas, a climate controlled local history room for housing the town's historic documents, expanded and technically updated computer space and a large meeting room for public and civic functions. The building would also be fully handicap accessible.

Why do we need a new library?
The current 5,400 sq. ft. library building is inadequate in both size and condition to effectively serve the community.In 1967, when the library was built, patrons used libraries primarily for checking out books. Today, with the population up nearly 50%, patrons seek not only books but also DVDs, CDs, recorded books, computers, a wireless network, and access to the Minuteman Library Network. The lack of space severely limits the size of our collections as well as the number and types of programs and meetings that we can hold. In 2009, while children's program attendance exceeded 3,200 children many more could not be accommodated because of space constraints andoccupancy restrictions. Similarly, while circulation reached over 102,000 items,the figure would likely be much higher if the size of our collections was larger and the number of residents using more modern neighboring libraries were reduced.

Many people consider a library to be the town's community center butthe cramped and non-handicap accessible space in the existing Millis library eliminates the possibility of its ever being acomfortable gathering place. A new building would provide space for community group meetings, comfortable seating arrangements, and flexible exhibit space where works of local artists of all ages might be displayed.

At 43 years old, the building has many expensive repair and maintenance problems, including serious HVAC and roofing issues. One town official labeled it 'a money pit' and even if the roof and systems are repaired, the issue of inadequate and non-handicap accessible space remains with all of its inherent problems.

What is the cost of the proposed library?
The total cost of the library is estimated at $7.7M.with the cost to the Town of Millis approximately $5 Million if voters accept a State grant of $2,789,569.

What would the State grant do for the town?
The State grant lays the ground work for the Town's Master Plan which calls for locating the new Police Station at the site of the present library,rehabbing the Police Station for the Fire Department and constructing the library at the new site of Exchange and Main Streets. In 2005, the Trustees of the Library submitted an application for a construction grant to the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC). The grant outlined the plans for a new structure that would meet the needs of Millis for at least 20 years. The total budget for the project includes acquisition ofthe property for the new building site, completion of the building, including interior finishing and furnishings, demolition of the old library building and preparation of the lot for the Police Station.

What does accepting the State grant involve?

Acceptance of the grant is a two-part process: A majority of registered voters must approve the library ballot question at the May 11th election and, if it passes, then two-thirds of Town Meeting members must approve the library warrant article on June 14th. If the issue is defeated on the May ballot, then the grant is lost and there is no Town Meeting vote. There will not be another opportunity to vote on this grant since the deadline for acceptance is June 15, 2010.

What will the average homeowner pay for this project?
The Town's portion of the cost ($5M) will be financed over 20 years as debt exclusion. Using an average Millis home valuation of $365,000, the first year's tax impact will be approximately $154 per household (42 cents per day),decreasing annually over the 20-year finance period to $89 in the last year.

Why do we have to do this now?
The State grant money ($2,789.569) goes away after June 15 and there is no guarantee about one in the near future. The current construction environment is favorable for a competitive bidding processand lower costs. Continuing to pour more money into a deteriorating undersized building with failing systems is not a good return on the town's investment. The debt for the Clyde Brown School ended in 2009 so taking on the Library should have little impact for the average taxpayer.

What other options were considered?
The Library Trustees, with assistance from the Permanent Building Committee and the Finance Committee, examined options of constructing a smaller building as well as adding on to the existing building. In both cases, the Town would not be able to use the $2,789,569 State grant. As a result, a 12,000 sq.ft. building was estimated to cost the Town over $1M more than the proposed 17,800 sq ft. building. To add to the existing building would require significant expense to deal with failing HVAC and other systems, extensive roof repairs, design issues, hazardous materials remediation, and ADA compliance.

Will the new building mean additional staff and operating expenses?
No significant increases are anticipated largely because the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners has given approval for it to be a one-story building. With everything on one floor means it can be staffed with existing personnel. The new building, while larger, will be much more energy efficient than the old building and, most importantly, have none of the hefty repair costs.

We have internet access at home so why do we need a new library?
While most Millis families may have computers with Internet access a recent study by the School Department indicated that about 20% did not. The library has 7 public computers that are extensively used, as is the wireless access for patrons who use their own laptops. Rather than replace the library, computers have provided another area for the library to provide service. The library staff can be an invaluable resource to guide patrons on Internet research or direct them to other information sources.

Why doesn't Millis save resources by combining the school and public libraries?

School and public libraries have different missions and responsibilities. The public library provides a wide range of services and materials designed to enrich the lives of all community members, regardless of age--including senior citizens, parents with infants and toddlers, and other adults who may be uncomfortable or unwelcome in the school setting. A public library is open evenings, weekends and summers.

The school library functions as the resource center for the school. The materials in the school library support the school's curriculum and are selected at the appropriate reading level of the students in the school. School libraries are typically open only when classes are in session, and usually provide access only to school students, staff and parents.

Are there any hidden costs that will raise the Town's share to be higher than $5M?

We don't anticipate that happening. If anything, we expect the $5 Million figure to be on the high side for at least 2 reasons: (1) the State automatically increased the original construction grant money by 15% for inflation and (2) the Permanent Building Committee included a 15% contingency factor in their total cost estimate. We feel these combined factors should provide an ample cushion for keeping the library project within budget. The Permanent Building Committee, which has experience in managing the construction and renovation projects of the Clyde Brown School, the High School and the Veterans Memorial Building, has a record of always coming in under budget.

FAQs—added 5/3/10

Will police, fire or any other town jobs be lost if a new library is built?

The library construction project is a debt-exclusion item, which will have no impact on police, fire or any other town department operating budgets. The only way that the library project could impact an operating budget is if the operational costs of the new library are significantly higher than current operating costs. If library operating costs were to increase, the Town would have to either trim library hours to get the budget back to the correct level or look into other areas of the library budget to cut.

There will be no override on the Spring 2010 warrant. The Town will not be hiring an open position in the fire department—however, since the position has never been filled, it is not a “cut” in services, but rather a decision not to expand services--a decision not in any way related to the library construction project. There are no plans for a cut in police staffing.

Why can't the Police Station go where the new library is proposed to go?

The locations of the library and the police station follow the Town's Master Plan. The State grant will pay for clearing the current library site and save tens of thousands of dollars in demo costs related to the construction of a new police station. The Chief of Police is in favor of the plan that moves the police station to the current library lot.

Are more tax dollars going to have to pay for a new Police Station? Is it some sort of package deal?

While the re-location of the library to a new site and the demolition and remediation of the old library are part of the State grant and would give the police station a clean site on which to build, there is no specific timing for a new police station. Any construction project would require Town Meeting approval.

How can we be sure the State will have funds to give us the $2.7M grant?

In an April 6, 2010 letter to the Millis Library, the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners responded to that concern by indicating funds are in a separate account (7000-9090) from which MBLC has been making payments. Following is an excerpt from that letter—the entire letter is on file at the Library.

“These funds are real, they are in an account, and we[MBLC] are spending funds for projects. The Commonwealth has never failed to follow through on its commitments to communities in the Public Library Construction Program.

“The provisional grant of $2,789,569 is available to Millis when the town is ready to accept it by signing a standard grant agreement that confirms that the local share of the construction cost has been secured. The Board of Library Commissioners is prepared to issue this agreement as soon as we are informed that the local share is in place. Once that agreement is in place we will make the first 30% payment. In short, the best way to secure these funds is to move forward with the project.”

FAQ-Library Construction 2010

May 2010