When it comes to the placement of a new library approved in the 2013 bond election, Round Rock city leaders have a plan—wait and see.
After mulling a few possible library sites in December, the Round Rock City Council decided at a Feb. 18 retreat to wait for a better location.
"Because the library—the main library—is a centerpiece of the community I'd rather do it right at the right location and be patient than do it just for the sake of doing it," Round Rock Mayor Alan McGraw said. "We haven't yet seen the site that you walk onto and say, 'This is it!'"
McGraw said none of the available locations had the intangible qualities the city is looking for in a site—natural beauty, proximity to downtown and "something that generates a real sense of community pride."
In 2013 when the library completed its Strategic Master Plan, it identified four locations as potential sites for a new main library—the Flats in downtown, southwest downtown, the intersection of East Palm Valley Boulevard and Mays Street, and the intersection of East Palm Valley and A.W. Grimes boulevards.
However, City Manager Laurie Hadley said no space is available in those locations.
"In a perfect world we would like to put the library in one of those sites the master plan recommended," Hadley said. "Since we're not in a big hurry, we have the luxury to wait to see if any of that property becomes available."
Hadley said there is potential for redevelopment on the primary sites. She said some of the site landowners recently acquired the property and have not started developments.
"We know who the property owners are, we know what their plans currently are, but we also know plans change," she said.
Hadley said the city has secured a site at Gattis School Road next to the Clay Madsen Recreation Center, in the event none of the properties close to the locations cited in the master plan become available. The site meets the criteria cited in the master plan for the library, she said.
McGraw said if the Gattis School Road location does not get a library, it can be used for parkland.
"We've got options," McGraw said.
Hadley said the money for the library was expected to come from the bond's second issuance in 2017 or 2018, depending on how much of the bond is used in the interim.
McGraw said there is no firm deadline.
Furthermore, in the future it is possible Round Rock will have more than one branch. The library's master plan identifies locations that could serve as secondary branches as well, including the existing downtown location, Sam Bass and Chisholm Trail roads, and University and A.W. Grimes boulevards.
In the interim, no one is disputing that the library's existing facility is at capacity.
"They're stretched thin," McGraw said. "We need to look and see if there are some alternative methods to relieve that pressure in the meantime."
Round Rock Library Director Michelle Cervantes said the location does not have the space to accommodate the amount of people showing up for the library's programs. The library will increase from 43,000 square feet to 60,000 square feet when the new location opens, she said.
"We're like a plant in a pot that's a little too small," Cervantes said. "We can't grow anymore because we don't have anymore space to grow. If we're allowed to move into a larger facility, we can expand our services and serve more customers."
Cervantes said in a community such as Round Rock with lots of families, the children's programs are especially popular.
"We have to have back to back, multiple programs because we just can't fit the kids in the room anymore," she said. "We don't want to have to turn anyone away and we do right now [...] which is unfortunate."
Cervantes said the new library will have expanded physical space and the rooms will be adaptable with features such as mobile shelving.
"Technology changes very quickly and the needs of the community could change," she said. "When we first open the building, one space might look one way and in five years we might need it to serve something else."
Cervantes said library staff supports the decision to hold off on selecting a site.
"They see it's a one-time decision," she said. "There's plenty of work to focus on in the meantime."
Round Rock resident Rilla Chaka said she has been coming to the library since she moved to the city in 1993. Chaka said she started bringing her children to the library when they were young and they have grown up to be voracious readers.
Chaka, who participated in a focus group during the formation of the library master plan, said she hopes the new location will be close to downtown.
"I just think libraries lend so much to their communities," she said. "It has a lot to do with having a place for people to go, a quiet place to study, to meet people, but it also expresses the importance the city puts on libraries and culture ... I think libraries are integral to any town."
When it comes to the placement of a new library approved in the 2013 bond election, Round Rock city leaders have a plan—wait and see.
After mulling a few possible library sites in December, the Round Rock City Council decided at a Feb. 18 retreat to wait for a better location.
"Because the library—the main library—is a centerpiece of the community I'd rather do it right at the right location and be patient than do it just for the sake of doing it," Round Rock Mayor Alan McGraw said. "We haven't yet seen the site that you walk onto and say, 'This is it!'"
McGraw said none of the available locations had the intangible qualities the city is looking for in a site—natural beauty, proximity to downtown and "something that generates a real sense of community pride."
In 2013 when the library completed its Strategic Master Plan, it identified four locations as potential sites for a new main library—the Flats in downtown, southwest downtown, the intersection of East Palm Valley Boulevard and Mays Street, and the intersection of East Palm Valley and A.W. Grimes boulevards.
However, City Manager Laurie Hadley said no space is available in those locations.
"In a perfect world we would like to put the library in one of those sites the master plan recommended," Hadley said. "Since we're not in a big hurry, we have the luxury to wait to see if any of that property becomes available."
Hadley said there is potential for redevelopment on the primary sites. She said some of the site landowners recently acquired the property and have not started developments.
"We know who the property owners are, we know what their plans currently are, but we also know plans change," she said.
Hadley said the city has secured a site at Gattis School Road next to the Clay Madsen Recreation Center, in the event none of the properties close to the locations cited in the master plan become available. The site meets the criteria cited in the master plan for the library, she said.
McGraw said if the Gattis School Road location does not get a library, it can be used for parkland.
"We've got options," McGraw said.
Hadley said the money for the library was expected to come from the bond's second issuance in 2017 or 2018, depending on how much of the bond is used in the interim.
McGraw said there is no firm deadline.
Furthermore, in the future it is possible Round Rock will have more than one branch. The library's master plan identifies locations that could serve as secondary branches as well, including the existing downtown location, Sam Bass and Chisholm Trail roads, and University and A.W. Grimes boulevards.
In the interim, no one is disputing that the library's existing facility is at capacity.
"They're stretched thin," McGraw said. "We need to look and see if there are some alternative methods to relieve that pressure in the meantime."
Round Rock Library Director Michelle Cervantes said the location does not have the space to accommodate the amount of people showing up for the library's programs. The library will increase from 43,000 square feet to 60,000 square feet when the new location opens, she said.
"We're like a plant in a pot that's a little too small," Cervantes said. "We can't grow anymore because we don't have anymore space to grow. If we're allowed to move into a larger facility, we can expand our services and serve more customers."
Cervantes said in a community such as Round Rock with lots of families, the children's programs are especially popular.
"We have to have back to back, multiple programs because we just can't fit the kids in the room anymore," she said. "We don't want to have to turn anyone away and we do right now [...] which is unfortunate."
Cervantes said the new library will have expanded physical space and the rooms will be adaptable with features such as mobile shelving.
"Technology changes very quickly and the needs of the community could change," she said. "When we first open the building, one space might look one way and in five years we might need it to serve something else."
Cervantes said library staff supports the decision to hold off on selecting a site.
"They see it's a one-time decision," she said. "There's plenty of work to focus on in the meantime."
Round Rock resident Rilla Chaka said she has been coming to the library since she moved to the city in 1993. Chaka said she started bringing her children to the library when they were young and they have grown up to be voracious readers.
Chaka, who participated in a focus group during the formation of the library master plan, said she hopes the new location will be close to downtown.
"I just think libraries lend so much to their communities," she said. "It has a lot to do with having a place for people to go, a quiet place to study, to meet people, but it also expresses the importance the city puts on libraries and culture ... I think libraries are integral to any town."
