Some PPL@PPM reflections

From my perspective, the defeat of the proposal to acquire and renovate the Portland Public Market building was a golden opportunity lost to the people of Portland. I continue to believe that the project strength was expressed best in the focus on downtown users and uses, the tremendous efficiency and inspirational aspects of the building and the economic development opportunity for the City that was associated with the redevelopment of Monument Square. But the project was not “sound bitable” and I am reminded by Thursday’s editorial in the Portland Press Herald (http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=113597&ac=PHedi ) that certain facts never quite became ingrained in the debate. The statement that we are now “not losing some 20,000 square feet of space that the market move entailed” continues to be inacurrate.

The above statement of “loss” applies if one intends to simply replicate what exists now. We were never able to effectively communicate to voters that it was about transformation of the library system as well as the users of the downtown location. In fact, there was 14% more space at the Market building versus the same Monument Square service areas. That would have led to much higher lending, more people through the door and a more enjoyable work environment and user experience. The minimum total square footage that the library would have had at the conclusion of the project would have been 85,000 sq. feet (58,000 in the market building and 27,000 in the basement of Monument Sq.) versus 78,000 sq. ft currently which is a 10% increase.

The PPL system will set a direction sometime in the next few weeks based on our available funds and a reconsideration of our past and current planning including what people have told us about their wishes. We then must get on with the business of improving our ability to deliver better service and make the experience at each our six locations the best it can possibly be. It’s time to move on.

What happens on June 13?

I have been asked by many people what would happen if the June 12 vote is affirmative on moving the downtown branch to the Public Market. The Library and the City would act in the two weeks following to honor the terms of the purchase and sale contract which calls for $2.75 million purchase price. The City would utilize $2.0 million in bond funds while the Library would contribute $750,000 to the purchase. The process to create an RFP (Request for Proposals) for architectural services would also commence and the Library would fund that activity for the next year. The end product would be to produce construction drawings for the use of contractors interested in bidding on the job. The City during that same time would begin its process of deciding how to utilize the current libary structure to maximize economic return. The final goal would be to move into the Public Market space by the end of calendar year 2009 without substantial interruption of library services at Monument Square. In a future post an updated project timetable will be presented.

If the June 12 vote is negative the Library Board will need to convene and determine the future course of the renovation and its timetable.

What is a reasonable investment in a Library?

We are headed to voting day (Tuesday - June 12) on the proposed move to the Portland Public Market. The voters will have to decide whether to authorize redirection of previously approved $4 million in bond funds for Monument Square to be used for the purchase and renovation of the Portland Public Market building. The measure also asks the citizens to provide another $1 million in funding (from already existing funds in the City's CIP). This public investment would be increased by the Library's Capital Campaign of $4.6 million.

The last few weeks have led me to many encounters with supporters and doubters through public meetings at the downtown Library and in various communities. This is not a sound bite project and it takes time to explain the general benefits of economic development, transformation of the library system and architectural preservation. One thing is sure, we are more convinced daily that a plan that strives for efficiency and focuses on the users and uses in an inspiring building, has a power of its own. There has been a great deal of misinformation spread including less space when in fact, the library will have a minimum of 85,000 sq feet available and increase of 7,000 sq. feet from the current number. The amount of public spaces to be housed in the Public Market increases by 14% over what could be offered at Monument Square, to say nothing of the overall efficiency and improvement in building climate.

Each community decides what it wants its public library to be. In Portland we have a system of 6 locations which lend well over 700,000 items yearly and have over 600,000 people come through the door. The system needs an investment to allow for collection growth and improve the quality of direct service to our users. Is the request for $ 5 million an unreasonable one? If you compare fairly recent capital investments by other significant Maine towns the request seems reasonable. Approximately ten years ago, Bangor invested $2.5 million in its library renovation. On a per capita investment basis, that comes out to roughly Portland's $5 million. Brunswick in 1996, with socio economic indicators at the state average, provided $4 million for its library project which extrapolates to $12 million if using Portland's population.

Bottom line for us at PPL: we believe we will lend more items, have more people walk through the doors and that they will have a better experience in the revamped Public Market building.

However you view the question of the downtown library please vote on June 12.