North Buffalo Library Action

Library Survey Information

2010-05-26T15:56:00.006-04:00

Designing a Library Survey
Maine State Library
Guidelines for designing library surveys and sample surveys

Library Research Services
A collection of Library User Surveys on the web.

Community Analysis / Community Survey Form
Upper Hudson Library System
An example of community survey forms and links to library planning

Air University Sampling and Surveying Handbook
Guidelines for planning, organizing, and conducting surveys from the US Department of Defense
PDF

"This handbook contains guidelines for planning, organizing, and conducting surveys. It should be useful to anyone embarking on a project requiring the gathering of data through the medium of the questionnaire. The text is designed to be easily readable, even for someone with a limited background on the subject."

Godfrey's Associates
Facility Planning & Programs
An example of a library consultant company

North Buffalo Library Planning Committee Update

2010-04-30T11:54:00.003-04:00

The Committee meets on the first Monday of each month at 5:30 pm at Cafe Allegro on Hertel Ave.

Recent meeting notes:

North Buffalo Library Planning Committee
Meeting Notes – 4/12/10 Café Allegro
5:30pm – 6:30pm

George Emery, Lynda Stevens, Brad Hamm, Bridget Quinn-Carey, Robin Tashjian, Sheldon Berlow, Liz Smith, Annie Reed, Janelle Toner, David Lampe.

We welcomed several new people who have expressed interest in supporting our efforts to improve library service in North Buffalo.

We continued to discuss the goals of the committee with an emphasis on obtaining funds to conduct a survey of the community to document support for a new library in North Buffalo. We determined a need of approximately $20,000 to conduct the survey. We are looking for support from B&ECPL, the county and the city through our contacts in government.

We discussed the need for this committee to be officially designated as the community group that the city and library system will work with towards implementing the library service goals within the framework of existing planning.

We also talked about updating our membership and we should post a list of people on the committee with a short bio.

Next meeting scheduled for Monday May 3 for 5:30 at Café Allegro.

North Buffalo Library Planning Committee
Meeting Notes – 2/1/10 Café Allegro
7:00pm – 8:00pm

George Emery, Lynda Stevens, Brad Hamm, Bridget Quinn-Carey, Lynn Marinelli, Robin Tashjian, Sheldon Berlow

Meeting times were discussed and it was agreed that the committee would meet the first Monday of each month at 5:30 pm at Café Allegro.

Meeting schedule for 2010:
March 1, April 5, May 3, June 7, July 5, August 2, September 6, October 4, November 1, December 6

Discussed the goals of the committee. Agreement to keep the goals simple at this time.
• Provide expanded library services in North Buffalo
• Survey the community to determine support for a new library
• Generate community support

Community survey and needs assessment. Discussed the recent Kenmore phone survey. Briefly talked about the need for a Friends group for North Buffalo and the attempted book sale at the North Park branch. We need to move forward on finding the cost of getting a needs assessment done. However, the first step is to get cost estimates for the needs assessment. We need to know how much money to ask for.

Action points
• Bridget & George will look at potential consultants
• Bridget will contact Kate Weeks at Kenmore Library for information concerning the cost of their phone survey
• George will contact UB Library School to see if there is potential help in the survey/needs project
• Brad will make contact with UB Social Work school

We continued to discuss the need for support from city hall but understood that this group may have to take the lead to get anything done. Sheldon emphasized the need to keep this project quiet until after we determine what the community wants. No promotion or publicity yet.

We talked a little bit about the South Buffalo project and multiuse buildings.

A Time To Build

2010-02-01T15:13:00.005-05:00

Francine Fialkoff, Editor-in-Chief of Library Journal wrote recently that library construction can be an engine of economic recovery.

Here is a link to her editorial A Time To Build in the December 2009 issue of Library Journal.

As you can see from the picture this is Library Journal's annual Year in Architecture issue. There is a very good article on the state of building libraries in 2009 and plenty of data breakdown charts.

Here is a link to the main feature article - Library Buildings 2009: The Constant Library

Check out the many pictures of some wonderful libraries that were built or renovated during the past year. I was very impressed with my hometown Philadelphia's downtown Central Library's new sustainable garden green roof.

Book Sale Help

2009-11-13T13:32:00.002-05:00

We are looking to hold a book sale in North Buffalo. The new North Park Library storefront cannot accommodate the book sale, so we're hoping to find another venue.

Can you help? We need:
1. A site in North Buffalo that is free, safe, handicapped accessible if possible, with tables. We would need it available for a week (3 or 4 days for set up and 2 weekend days for a sale.) Books would need to be secured when no volunteer or staff are on site (i.e. lockable space).
2. Volunteers to move the books to the site (from storefront next to current North Park Library).
3. Volunteers to set up the books.
4. Volunteers to work the days of the sale.
5. Volunteers to clean up the remaining books.
The library staff will coordinate and provide oversight and monitor the money that is collected.
Proceeds from the sale will help provide future support for the North Park library.

Please contact Ann Kling (klinga@buffalolib.org) if you know of a possible site for the sale, and/or would like to volunteer to help with the sale. thank you!
Bridget

Meeting Notes - 10/21/09

2009-10-22T15:33:00.002-04:00

North Buffalo Library Long Term Planning Committee

The Committee met last night at Cafe Allegro on Hertel Ave. Eleven members of the community attended the meeting.

The committee discussed the need to get a commitment from the mayor to build or reuse an existing building for a permanent North Buffalo library. Bridget Quinn-Carey has contacted the mayor's office to arrange a meeting with members of the committee.

The needs assessment study was discussed. Members talked about the methodology of a consultant including the use of surveys, focus groups, public forums and demographics. The discussion also included using existing urban planning statistics and local college resources in addition to professional library consultants.

The group discussed the perceived legitimacy of the committee to the community. How did members get to be on the committee? Who appointed people? Are there other groups in the community with similar goals? Was the committee formed out of another organization? Will the mayor want someone from his administration on the committee? Should the Library Board of Trustees be involved? These and other related questions were discussed. The committee wants to expand it's membership through publicity and outreach in the community. There may be an overall larger group of community membership with a smaller steering committee.

The group discussed how the Merriweather Library was planned and funded with the understanding that the political and budget situation for the city, county and state is much different now then it was at that time. A potential time-line was talked about for a new North Buffalo library with the hope that a five year lease for the temporary branch library would be enough. A ten year time span was also unfortunately considered.

The group also briefly discussed alternative funding models such as a building not owned by the city and multi-use buildings. Using existing buildings such as unused schools and churches was discussed.

The next meeting was scheduled for Wednesday December 2 for 6:30 pm at Cafe Allegro.

The committee will hear a report from the attendees of the meeting with the mayor and determine how to proceed.

2009-10-21T17:26:00.001-04:00

Here are two links from the Connecticut State Library for information about library facility planning:

http://ct.webjunction.org/space-planning/articles/content/3112580

http://ct.webjunction.org/510/articles/content/1092172

An Interesting Idea

2009-10-21T15:53:00.005-04:00

In San Francisco the Mission Bay Branch library opened in 2006. It was the first new branch library to open in 40 years.

The interesting idea here is that this is a 7,500 square foot library located on the ground floor of a multi-use building. In addition to the library, the building houses an adult day health center, affordable senior housing, retail space
and a large community meeting room.

The Mission Creek Senior Community development, which houses the new library, is a collaboration between the San Francisco Public Library, Mercy Housing California, North and South of Market Adult Day Health Center, the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency and the San Francisco Department of Public Health.

The Mission Bay Branch website.
The Mission Bay Branch Facts & Figures

So what can we learn from this?
Many people think that a North Buffalo hub library should be located somewhere along Hertel Avenue. There have been senior citizen housing units built on the avenue in recent years. Are more needed? Are more being planned somewhere? Instead of retail space on the ground floor perhaps a library would benefit everyone including the residents.

Just a thought... an idea.
An example that we need to look at all possibilities.

Old buildings, new buildings, stand alone buildings, multi-use buildings.
We have a lot to talk about.

Getting to where we are now...

2009-10-21T14:09:00.000-04:00

The North Buffalo Library Long Term Planning Committee is getting back in action. The temporary North Park Branch library located in the K-Mart Plaza on Hertel Avenue has opened and it is time to focus on long term solutions to library service in North Buffalo.

It is a good time to review how we got to where we are right now with the committee.

Here is some background information:

Buffalo & Erie County Public Library closed the Fairfield Branch in 2005 despite high use. The reason given was problems with the building.
In 2008 building environmental problems at the North Park Branch that had been identified forced the closing of that sole remaining library located North Buffalo. The Library system did provide temporary book mobile service at the site until October.
The North Buffalo Good Neighbor Planning Alliance invited BECPL Director Bridget Quinn-Carey to address their monthly meeting in September to address the problem of library service in North Buffalo.
BECPL responded to the North Park Library crises with plans to establish a temporary branch library in a store front in the Kmart Plaza after looking at a variety of options and locations.
The North Buffalo Good Neighbor Planning Alliance held a series of meetings at Cafe Allegro in October to get community input and to attempt to establish a Friends of North Buffalo Library group.
Some members of the community were against putting money into a temporary location and would rather see an effort made to renovate and reopen the currently closed Fairfield Library.
Early meetings were chaotic but it was clear that several groups needed to be formed.

A group to look at the options of the Fairfield building.
A group to ensure the long term viability of the North Park building.
A friends group for the temporary store front library.
A long term planning committee for library service.

A buyer for the Fairfield building was revealed who was planning to turn the property into rental apartments.
First group to form was a Friends of Fairfield to look at the viability of returning library services to the building and to stop the sale of the property until it could be evaluated.
In early December a letter was delivered to the mayor requesting that the sale of the building be postponed until the community was given the opportunity to explore the possibility of renovating the building and restoring library services or multiuse community center.
Members of Friends of Fairfield, Parkside Community Association, and others attended a meeting at City Hall with the Mayor and Bridget Quinn-Carey of BECPL. Director Quinn-Carey assured everyone of her effort to return library service to North Buffalo and expressed a willingness to look at the possibility of returning limited, budget neutral services to Fairfield. The mayor expressed support for building a state-of-the-art library in North Buffalo if that was what the community wanted.
The leasing of the Kmart Plaza store front temporary library was held up while the community was given the opportunity to look at options and the sale of the Fairfield building was also put on hold to give the community a chance to look at options.
The mayor also said he would arrange a meeting of the community groups with the developer interested in buying the Fairfield building.
The Friends of Fairfield group had a series of meetings to explore the reuse of the building. It became apparent early on that neither the city or the library system was interested in returning the building to be a branch library again. The group concentrated on the idea of renovating the building into a net zero facility with a LEED platinum rating as a community center with the capability of hosting limited library services in the future. The group held meetings through December and January developing their plan.
The Kmart Plaza storefront location was approved by the Common Council & Library Board. Completion was expected in late spring or early summer.
The group met with the mayor and developer. The mayor wanted the community to hold off supporting the historic landmark designation. He would allow two months for the community to come up with a plan that included funding before selling the building to the developers.
The Friends of Fairfield presented their plan at a Parkside Community Association. The PCA Board decided not to support the plan because of no clear funding source.
The Vernon Triangle Block Club notified the Parkside Community Association that they supported the Fairfield building developer and did not want the PCA to do anything to impede the sale of the building.
The North Buffalo Long Term Library Planning Committee was formed in April.
City announced that funds had been requested for Fairfield and North Park buildings through Restore NY. Everything concerning Fairfield would be on hold pending the request.
We found out about this the day of our meeting. At the meeting we discussed the need to conduct a community needs assessment and funding the study.
We also discussed possible locations and the need for community input.
The new temporary branch of the North Park Library was scheduled for a July 1st opening.
A blog was created for ongoing discussion - www.northbuffalolibrary.blogspot.com.
On May 19th the developer and potential buyer of the Fairfield building made a presentation to the Parkside community.
The committee toured the Merriweather Library on June 22.
Cassie Wilson continued to call Friends of the Fairfield meetings throughout the summer.
The grand opening for the temporary North Park Branch Library in the Kmart plaza finally happened on Sept. 17th.
At that point the North Buffalo Long Range Planning Committee called a meeting to prepare for moving forward with a permanent solution to library services in North Buffalo.

Next Committee Meeting

2009-10-13T12:46:00.000-04:00

The next meeting of the North Buffalo Long Term Planning Committee is scheduled for 6:30 pm at Cafe Allegro located at 1374 Hertel Ave.

Temporary North Park Branch Library

2009-10-13T12:32:00.000-04:00

The new temporary North Park branch opened on September 17. The people of North Buffalo are thrilled to have library services returned to our community.

More information about the North Park Branch Library is located here:
http://www.buffalolib.org/libraries/northpark/index.asp

Tour of Merriweather Library Comments

2009-06-28T13:19:00.000-04:00

The committee met on June 22nd for a tour a the Merriweather Library on Jefferson Ave. Sandra Bush, librarian and branch manager, conducted the tour.

We looked at many features of the library and how they served the needs of the community. We hope to learn from the Merriweather Library experience as we proceed to plan for expanded library services in North Buffalo.

The following are personal notes and comments written up following the tour. Other committee members may also share their perspective.

Auditorium
There is a 150 seat auditorium that is consistently booked throughout the year by community organizations. It will need to be determined by a community needs assessment whether a library in North Buffalo should contain an auditorium and how large. We will need to determine if there is a need in North Buffalo for a large meeting space or if that need is already met by the North Buffalo Community Center or various schools and churches. Having an auditorium or not will have a very large impact on determining a site location and in the overall size and cost of a new building if that need is expressed.

Computer Lab & Public Computers
The computer lab in this library was originally conceived as a classroom for programs using computers. However, because of budget constraints those classroom programs were not developed and the computers in the lab have been made available for individuals to sign up for computer time. These 12 computers along with other public computers throughout the library (47 total) have given Merriweather the second largest number of public computer usage in the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library system behind only the Central Library. The library also provides wireless access for the public to bring in their own laptop computers.

How many computers would a North Buffalo library need? Would we need a traditional computer lab or would computers scattered throughout the building fulfill the needs of the community? Would people bring in laptops? Would there be places for people with laptops? A coffee shop or leisure seating? We would need to consider location of furniture and electrical outlets for example because power supply cords across walkways can be a serious problem in libraries.

Flexible Space
Often times people end up using space differently than an architect or planner originally conceives. We saw that in the use of the Children's Resource room for example. We should emphasize flexible space with movable dividers and furniture. It may be nice to have an exhibition space in the building that would be available to the community. There has been much discussion about the architectural design of Merriweather that I don't want to rehash here except to say that we need to be aware of the problems of form over function in design. The round design of Merriweather may be pleasing to look at but there appears to be problems in the staff use of the space.

There was a young adult gaming area that seemed very popular the evening we were in the library. There were also meeting rooms that are very popular with the community. During our tour the meeting rooms and auditorium were in use. The computer lab was full and there were many other people scattered throughout the library using computers or other resources. It was indicated to us that the 35 space parking lot was not adequate when there were events or special programs at the library.

Special Collections
The Merriweather Library holds the William A. Miles Center for African and African-American Studies which is the largest resource center in Western New York for information on African American history. A large portion of the 20,000 square feet of the library is devoted to this collection.

Needs Assessment
The tour of Merriweather emphasized the importance of conducting a needs assessment to determine the needs of the community. The needs assessment could find out whether the North Buffalo community needs a computer lab or an auditorium. Without those two elements of a library for example the footprint would be much less than the 20,000 square feet of Merriweather. It may be determined in focus groups that the community wants an auditorium, more meeting rooms, computers in a lab setting, lots of available parking and some other things we haven't thought about. In that case maybe more square feet on a larger site footprint would be necessary. Another outcome might be people asking for more smaller walkable buildings throughout North Buffalo in which case a different service and funding model would need to be developed.

George Emery
North Buffalo Library Long Term Planning Committee

North Buffalo Library Long Term Planning Committee Formed

2009-04-14T21:55:00.000-04:00

The North Buffalo Library Long Term Planning Committee has been formed by members of the community to advocate for improved library services in North Buffalo and for the eventual building of a state of the art library facility located in the area.

The committee met this week and agreed that the first step toward reaching our goal is create a request for proposal for an unbiased outside consulting firm to conduct a needs assessment that would result in a recommendation to the community. The scope of the needs assessment would include a community analysis and a plan for community input. It could also include the type and size of facility and potential locations. The group discussed funding the needs assessment.

The temporary North Buffalo branch is expected to open July 1st.

George Emery, Chair - Associate Director Canisius College Library, Parkside Community Association Board Member