A new chapter for the library and archives

Should Pinehurst build a new library? That question has been around for years and judging by the discussion at the last Village Council session, it is not any closer to being answered.

Recommendations presented to the Village Council for Pinehurst to build a new library or use an existing facility were met with considerable skepticism Tuesday at a regular scheduled meeting. The meeting was conducted online, in keeping with social distancing practices.  

The consulting firm of Library IQ presented the results of a draft preliminary library needs assessment report at the meeting. As part of their study, Library IQ met with local libraries, collected nearly 400 responses from an online survey and received input from in-person public workshops and meetings.

Library IQ was authorized to conduct a $45,000 study by then Mayor Nancy Fiorillo in 2019. That move came after years of discussions and meetings to consider the future library needs of the community.

Currently, Given Memorial Library is seen as too small to meet the needs of Village residents. The library, located in the historic district, is privately operated and relies on endowment funds, individual donors and $100,000 annually from the Village to keep its doors open. 

Expanding the footprint of the library into the adjacent Village Green has raised questions about retaining the building’s historic landmark designation. Also, there is the matter of what to do with the Tufts Archives located in the same building as the Given Library.

The cost of building a new library is estimated to be nearly $8 million with an additional $1 million in annual operating costs. These estimates are based on building size of 17,000 square feet, which is considered optimal, based on the number of people living in Pinehurst. 

To pay for the construction costs, Library IQ suggested looking into several options: issue long-term debt, conduct a fundraising campaign, use existing fund balance reserves, utilize a portion of the existing Given Memorial Library endowment, and seek state and federal grants.

After Debbie Joy from Library IQ presented the draft report, Village Council Members had a chance to ask questions and provide feedback. 

“I find we were looking for a needs assessment, and we have a house built on opinions from a group that equals the size of a large family reunion,” said Councilmember Kevin Drum “I can see where you could extrapolate off a small group to help you with your library needs assessment. I can’t understand how we have moved down a road to conclusions. I’m a little thrown back. We have not had the community talk yet. We have had focus groups and small samplings.”

“Something about the whole process is uncomfortable to me,” said Councilmember Lydia Boesch.

“We need to understand the core services that people want,” said Mayor John Strickland. “And once we learn that then we can sort out what space that might be required and what kind of location that might be required” 

The next step is to decide on a set of questions that will be posed in a survey of 400 randomly selected residents. A separate meeting will be held next Monday to take up the issue.

Sandhills_Sentinel~Article and photo by Sandhills Sentinel Reporter John Patota.