Library News
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GIS Day November 16th!
From 10AM to 7PM the city will have a GIS Day open house in the Learning Technology Center of the Library.
Click here for more information
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Friends donation box closed from Nov. 1 through Nov. 15
The Friends donation box will be closed from Nov. 1 through Nov. 15 in preparation for the annual book sale and relocation of the Friends sorting center. We apologize for any inconvenience."
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CEDAR RAPIDS LIBRARY CHANGES DOWNTOWN HOURS OF OPERATION
Beginning Monday, November 9, 2009, the Downtown branch of the Cedar Rapids Public Library will adjust the hours of operation to be open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday – Friday.
Located at 221 3rd St. SE next to Hills Bank and Trust, this satellite facility offers a small collection of books for children through adults, CDs, and DVDs, as well as materials pick up and drop off services. Three internet computer stations are available for public use. There is a story time for children aged three to five every Friday at 10:30 am.
For more information, call the Cedar Rapids Public Library Downtown branch at (319) 363-3286 or visit our website at www.crlibrary.org.
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Library defers Levy Vote
At the September, 2009 meeting, the Library Board chose to defer the vote on the library levy.
After questions from the public, the Board felt that there were many unknowns about the location of a new library. Many people were hoping to know the outcome of the location decision before the levy vote. The Board agreed that it would be more appropriate to hold the levy election after the new location is chosen.
The Board also decided to work with the legislature to allow the levy vote in an off-city election.
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Library Board supports Library Levy increase
The Board of Trustees of the Cedar Rapids Public Library has voted to support placing an increase in the library levy on the November 2009 city election ballot. Currently, the library levy is 4 cents per $1,000 valuation and may only be used to purchase books. Approving an additional levy not to exceed 27 cents in the aggregate would provide funding needed to operate a new building. For a $150,000 home, an increase from 4 cents to 27 cents will result in an additional $1.31 per month in property taxes.
Planning efforts for a new building have been underway for some time. These efforts include a public participation process starting later in June. While FEMA and state funding will cover significant portions of the capital cost of constructing a new building, the Board of Trustees is very concerned about having adequate operating funds to staff and run the library.
Prior to the 2008 flood, the CRPL Board of Trustees was considering placing a library levy on the ballot for the November 2009 City elections. This consideration was driven by a realization that the City’s revenues for the foreseeable future will continue to be inadequate to fully support the operating needs of the library. Once a full library service is restored, a budget shortfall of several hundred thousand dollars is expected. Shortfalls of this magnitude will result in reduced hours of service and, possibly, closure of the West Side Branch.
“We should be very aware of the impact of budget shortfalls on the library and the very real consequences for this community when a new building becomes a reality,” says Trustee Dennis McMenimen. “Unless we take action to provide adequate funds to operate it, the library service to this community will continue to be restricted and inadequate.”
A 27 cent levy is not unusual in this state, as the Davenport, Iowa City, Waterloo and Cedar Falls libraries all rely on special 27 cent levies for their operations. Compared to these other Iowa communities, the operating funding provided to the CRPL is low.
“Fiscal responsibility dictates that you secure operating funding. With an increased library levy, we know we can build back better with a beautiful new building that will meet the needs of future generations. Without additional operating funding, we must face whether we can even afford to operate a building of the same size as the one that was destroyed. It is that crucial. We need to understand the support of the community upfront,” says Board President Susan Corrigan. Library Trustees know that part of building back better is to ensure that there is enough money to maintain and run the community’s new library.
The long-term vision of the Trustees is premised on library locations downtown, on the West Side and those in Marion and Hiawatha. Access to the Marion and Hiawatha libraries is made available through the Metro Library Network, a partnership between the Cedar Rapids, Marion and Hiawatha libraries.
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Children’s books from the Cedar Rapids Public Library find a new temporary home.
April 28, 2009
For further information contact:
Tamara Glise, Interim Library Director
Cedar Rapids Public Library
739-0409
The library has contracted with Hawkeye North American to pack, move and store the children’s collection, located on the second floor of the library, until a new building is ready to house the materials. “The books survived the winter very well in the main library building,” says Interim Director Tamara Glise. “The entire children’s area was sealed and stabilized to safeguard the materials. With the advent of summer heat, however, it’s time to move them to a climate-controlled location so they do not deteriorate.”
The materials have been carefully monitored and tested since the building was flooded last June, and stabilization efforts have proved successful: swab testing shows they are safe for public use.
The book move is taking place this week. Volunteers are not being used for this project due to the need to keep the second floor sealed and stable until all the items are moved out. A portion of the collection is already in use at the library’s Bridge Facility in Westdale Mall. Another portion will be utilized in the Downtown Branch, which will open this summer in the Armstrong Center. The remaining 60,000-plus items will wait until a new library home is ready to receive them.
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