Georgetown leaders discuss short-term alternatives to suggested $109M library expansion

At the meeting, officials received an update on the GPL’s long-range plan from Doug Moss, a consultant with Steinberg Hart, the design firm Georgetown contracted with to draft expansion options, according to previous Community Impact reporting.

“The programs that you all are providing today are extraordinary, but they are just a small portion of the library services that could be offered,” Moss said.

Moss said the downtown library is “busting at the seams.”

To improve Georgetown residents’ library experience citywide, he originally suggested six stages to implement new services.

• Open holds lockers at the Carver Center for Families and implement errand services in Sun City this year
• Open an additional holds locker, pop-up library and courier vehicle in 1-3 years
• Expand and renovate the GPL, add an additional holds locker and courier vehicle in 4-7 years
• Launch a microbranch, pop-up library and two additional outreach vehicles in 10 years
• Open a full-service library branch and add an additional courier vehicle in 15-20 years
• Add additional full-service branches and courier vehicles in 30 years

Given the city’s involvement in other road and parks projects, District 5 council member Kevin Pitts said he’s “concerned” about the library’s proposed expansion time frame.

“I just don't think that the renovation of our existing facility is a reality in the four- to seven-year time frame,” Pitts said. “The expansion, I think, needs to be further out. We need to be looking at smaller ways to expand the services in the library.”

Pitts said adding microbranches and holds lockers are a more realistic approach in the coming years. Additionally, Pitts said he doesn’t often hear criticism of the library’s size.

Breaking down the project

City documents show a plan for the GPL’s expansion includes demolishing the west wing, constructing a new three-story wing and expanding the existing lobby to connect the two.

According to the presentation, community members suggested adding a makerspace, bookstore, remote working space, child playscape and more amenities to the GPL.

Mayor Josh Schroeder suggested narrowing the expansion’s scope by considering what amenities officials could add to other spaces, like the Georgetown Recreation Center.

“You ask folks if they want makerspace, coworking space—they're going to say yes,” Schroeder said. “If you ask them, ‘Do you want us to delay the Williams Drive road project to get that?’ or ‘Do you want to raise your tax rate by 6 cents?’—they're going to say no.”

Council members discussed improving library staff, as Georgetown is 7% behind state staffing recommendations, according to previous Community Impact reporting.

What council members are saying

District 2 council member Shawn Hood, District 1 council member Amanda Parr and District 6 council member Jake French agreed an expansion in the next seven years was not likely.

Hood said he would consider opening a microbranch location in west Georgetown before the 10-year time frame. Parr agreed that a future west side branch could give residents opportunities to receive library services closer to their homes, which could be helpful to Georgetown’s retirement community.

Hood said officials should consider how the Light and Water Works construction—which broke ground mid-January—could change long-term plans, given the building’s proximity to the library.

Parr said Georgetown’s future YMCA facility and city parks could be locations for the future holds lockers. She said council could explore making an exception to the city’s downtown height restrictions ordinance if the library would benefit from vertical expansions.

Going forward

City Manager David Morgan said staff will implement council’s feedback and make changes to the library long-range plan.

“I think that as we look at the next bond program, we have a lot of work in front of us to roll our sleeves up and to identify all the different needs that we're seeing in our community and trying to prioritize those,” Morgan said.