Wilson Public Library of Pike County: The Next Chapter
New Building Rationale
The Garnet A. Wilson Public Library of Pike County Board of Trustees proposes the construction of a new Main Library facility of 19,000 square feet. Pike County was the last county in Ohio to have a public library. Let us not also be among the last to have a main library facility designed to be a library. Our History
Fo
unded in 1939 as the Pike County Free Public Library, the library has met the educational, cultural and entertainment needs of the area’s citizens for 75 years. It plays a significant role in the education of generations of children and serves as a center of activity for the entire community. Initially, the library was housed in the Waverly High School. In 1985, it moved to its current home on North Market Street through the generosity of J. B. Wilson, a prominent and generous Pike County businessman. The current building has a storied history, having served as a livery stable, a chicken hatchery, and a feed and grain store. While our current location has served the community well, incredible changes are occurring in the use of public libraries due to growth in technology and the diverse of needs of library patrons. By the Numbers
In 2004, the Library had 10,231 registered borrowers, 37% of the county’s population and a total circulation of 266,572. Ten years later, the population had grown by less than 4%; however, the number of registered borrowers had increased to 21,103 or 74% of the population. Circulation of library materials had increased by 26%. Annual attendance at story times, holiday parties, book signings, and other special programs increased by 8%. Perhaps most impressive of all, the library staff answers 100,000 reference questions each year. Obviously, library utilization is on the rise and is limited only by the capacity and capability of our physical facility. This is clearly illustrated by the growth in users as compared to the growth in actual circulation. Emerging technologies, changing educational requirements, the growth of online learning for adult learners, and the shifting needs of the community call for an entirely different sort of facility than any other. Thus, we wish to commence The Next Chapter, when we will build - not a library for today - but a library for the next 75 years or more. Just what shape will such a facility take? How will a new facility help us meet evolving needs? The Next Chapter
Fortunately, library operations are significantly funded through a generous levy passed—and recently renewed—by the citizens of Pike County. However, in order to leverage those funds to their fullest extent, we need a state-of-the-art space to display our collections, facilitate the use of technology, be completely accessible to our patrons, and provide attractive, comfortable, functional spaces for library visitors. A new main building of 19,000 square feet will allow us to:
Help Our Children Meet Educational Goals
As educational benchmarks and requirements change, schools with less funding will continue to be held to the same standards as well-funded schools. A library with state-of-the-art technology will allow us to meet to the educational needs of all children, but especially to bridge the gap for children without access to computers, the internet or even basic reference materials. A comfortable, attractive, spacious area for children’s activities and collections will create an atmosphere that will foster a love of reading which will enhance not only the children’s educations but also their lives. The new facility will offer individual study rooms for tutoring, individual study and small study groups. Facilitate Online Learning for Adults
As online educational opportunities grow, so will the role of public libraries in distance learning, especially for adult learners. Busy schedules, travel expenses, and varying training needs make online courses and degrees more and more attractive for adults. The availability of technology for both classes and research is essential. Rebecca T. Miller, editorial director of the Library Journal, states that “Every library in every town is becoming … a college library.”
Improve Holdings and Access
While we are proud of our library holdings, increased space would allow us to have more items available and to display our materials more conveniently and attractively to provide easier access for both browsing and research. Reading and learning should be enjoyable, not laborious. The easier it is to find materials, the more effectively they will be used. Provide Easier Physical Access for Our Patrons
Currently, the main branch of the Garnet A. Wilson Public Library of Pike County occupies three floors. Access to some areas may require an arduous process of riding the elevator, crossing the library, and taking a small lift to one’s final destination. Our hope is to have an open, spacious, one-story facility which will not only provide easy access but enhance opportunities for interaction between patrons. In addition, there are presently only twelve parking spaces—only one of which is reserved for our handicapped guests. The entire parking lot is slanted and the library entrance is uphill from the parking lot itself. The future site of the library has been procured: a beautiful three-acre tract of land in a convenient location near residential neighborhoods and Bristol Village. The location has room for dozens of parking spaces and will allow for an appropriate number of spaces for our handicapped patrons. Reach out to the Community
A library should be an agent of change in a community, a place for meetings, events, and discussions. Above all, the library will be a place for exchanging ideas, solving problems, and improving the lives of Pike County’s citizens. There will be space for educational programming of interest to the community and meeting spaces to facilitate collaboration and cooperation between groups. While we have been fortunate to be able to have branches in other areas of Pike County, they are not free-standing libraries. All library services are ultimately provided by the main library in Waverly. This includes ordering and processing materials, maintaining the Pike County Archives and genealogy collection, and managing summer events such as reading programs and food services. The main library also houses computer labs and meeting rooms for the use of organizations throughout the county. The Garnet A. Wilson Public Library of Pike County will be a dynamic place where people of all ages, incomes and ethnic backgrounds congregate to read, listen to CDs, and discuss books. Provide Free Access to Information and Technology. The role of the public library continues to evolve, growing from a place to not only read books, as a source of free, fast information from everything to job hunting to genealogical research. With increased interactivity and connectivity, users will have even more opportunities to conduct research for professional, academic and personal reasons. Library visitors also use the computer stations for online learning, applications for benefits, trip planning, ordering merchandise, proctored exams, health information, investment modeling, civic information, access to expensive, specialized databases, project research, and much more. Enhance Opportunities for Intergenerational Contacts
While libraries have spaces for children, young adults, and adults, we hope to create an environment which will not only allow those groups to establish their own comfort zones, but will also allow key connections and networking between the groups. The Vision
The mission of the Garnet A. Wilson Public Library of Pike County is “Educate. Inspire. Enjoy.”
Our vision is that a new building will enhance our mission by allowing us to not only extend our services to more patrons but to also provide more and improved services to all.
