Holyoke Public Library Expansion Project

Comment

Comment by Debra Vega on December 8, 2011 at 12:40pm

November 30, 2011 – For Immediate Release

MOVING DAY APPROACHES FOR HOLYOKE PUBLIC LIBRARY

As of today, it appears that that Saturday, December 10, will be the last day that Holyoke Public Library will be open to the public prior to its move to temporary quarters at City Hall. Current plans call for the Library to resume service from the auditorium at City Hall on Monday, January 3, 2012.

Patrons are advised that items which they have at the present time and are unable to return to the library by December 10, should be held by the patron until the Library is operating at City Hall in January. Those items will be automatically renewed without fines, and patrons will have until January 9 to return them to the temporary Library location. This procedure applies to all items with due dates of December 12 or later.

Items requested on reserve, or through Interlibrary Loans, that are received through December 10, can be picked up at the library’s Circulation desk. For requested items that have not  been received by December 10, please call the Library at 413-322-5640 for an update on the item.

All regular programs and activities offered by the library, including children’s story hours, game programs, etc., will be suspended during the period from Monday, December 12 through January 2 in order to complete the move from the Library’s location on Maple Street to its temporary home at City Hall. The actual move of Library materials will begin on Tuesday, December  12.

Current plans call for the Library to resume its regular schedule at City Hall starting January 3. Monday through Thursday the Library will be open from 8:30 AM to 8:30 PM, Friday and Saturday hours are 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM. For answers to any questions regarding programs, schedules, use of computers, or other information regarding the Library’s move to City Hall, please call 413-322-5640.

Comment by Debra Vega on May 28, 2010 at 12:29pm

For those who are interested in the process, the Holyoke Public Library will be going before the Finance Committee once again this Tuesday, June 1st at 6:30pm in City Council Chambers of City Hall to go over the provisions added to the language of the City Bond. Thank you for all you do to support the HPL!
-Debra

Comment by daphne bord on May 5, 2010 at 10:54am

I echo Susan's comments--I too was very pleased at the process and results of last night's City Council meeting. I look forward to seeing the new plans for the HPL.

Comment by Sandy Ward on May 5, 2010 at 10:47am

Thanks to the YES vote last night, the project will roll forward VERY quickly. COMMUNITY MEETINGS to see preliminary plans have been set for next week, Thursday May 13. (Two Spanish meetings 10am & 4pm; two English 11:30am & 5:30pm - probably at the Library. Stay turned!) The architectural firm from Boston is now hard at work creating drawings and scenarios for public input. A second day of community meetings has been scheduled for Tuesday May 25.

Comment by Susan Van Pelt on May 5, 2010 at 10:15am

As a library user, I just wanted to say thanks to everyone involved in this project. I'm really pleased with last night's results & with the process (long & arduous though it must have seemed to those more actively involved over many months). I arrived at City Hall last night not sure what to expect -- I wanted very much to be supportive of the library's needs & the community's needs for a great library, but I was also concerned about what actual design plans will look like, whether monies will be used wisely for both short- & long-term needs, how the library's management will be structured, etc -- and I left feeling like my concerns had been addressed adequately & feeling very positive & hopeful that this will go forward in good & responsible ways. I can't wait to see final plans!

Comment by Debra Vega on April 30, 2010 at 12:32pm

Dear HPL Group Members:

We are so close, and need your help now to get us over the finish line with the City Council. On this TUESDAY, MAY 4TH at 7:30PM, the Holyoke Public Library bond will go before full City Council for a vote.

Below you will find all of the City Council members phone numbers:
Patricia Devine 532-3974
Kevin Jourdain 538-5519
Anthony Keane (Ward 3) 222-2672
James Leahy 535-3353
Rebecca Lisi 535-2492
Diosdado Lopez (Ward 2) 532-4496
Todd McGee (Ward 6) 535-5097
Joseph McGiverin 536-6557
Brenna Murphy 534-1764
John J O'Neill (Ward 7) 539-9748
Timothy Purington (Ward 4) 534-8944
Peter Tallman 538-8944
Linda Vacon (Ward 5) 533-6498
Aaron Vega 552-0268
Donald Welch (Ward 1) 535-5186

WE NEED YOU TO CALL YOUR WARD COUNCILOR OR ANY AT LARGE COUNCILOR WITH THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE....

"I AM CALLING TO URGE YOU TO SUPPORT THE MAYORS REQUEST FOR $7.1 MILLION IN BONDING FOR THE LIBRARY. IF THE CITY BOND'S FOR LESS, THEN WE WILL LOSE THE $4.4 MILLION STATE GRANT. PLEASE VOTE YES ON TUESDAY."

We urge you to call as many councilors as you can, but please make a minimum of at least one call.

Finally, show your support by attending the Tuesday City Council meeting at City Hall and feel free to pass all of this information along.

Thank you so much for all you do to support the Holyoke Public Library!
-Maria Pagan, Library Director
-Terry Plum, HPL President

Comment by Debra Vega on April 6, 2010 at 12:54pm

Hello Everyone,

This THURSDAY, APRIL 8TH AT 6:30PM in the City Council Chambers of City Hall, the Holyoke Public Library will once again be presenting further information to support a request for city bonding for the HPL Renovation/Expansion Project to the Councilors of the Finance Committee,

Please forward this information to anyone you feel is interested in supporting the future of the library here in Holyoke. We need to show overwhelming numbers of support to the Council Members, so it is very important to show up to the meeting and bring your friends!

Thank you for your continued help and support!

Comment by Debra Vega on February 3, 2010 at 1:17pm

2-2-2010 Finance Committee Meeting Update:

What a great turnout last night and thank you to all who came out to support the HPL Project as we presented our case for bonding to the City Council Finance Committee. This is step 1 of a multi-step process and the evening could not have gone any better!

Even though we were last on the agenda, I believe it worked in our favor as many of the Councilors who are not on the Finance Committee were showing up to be there for the regular Council meeting at 7:30pm and were there to hear the presentation. The HPL was given our full time to present and the presentation itself took about 15-20 min.

Terry Plum (Board President) explained who would be speaking and introduced our new Project Managers from Diversified (same OPM the COA is using), explained what we would be presenting (following along a packet we had given the councilors last week), and explained what we were asking for. Maria Pagan (HPL Director) spoke from the heart about library programs and used herself, her daughter and her grand-daughter as examples. She was extremely moving, in my opinion. Next, Ellen Moriarty (Board Vice-President) had a short presentation about what the library means to the future of Holyoke and especially that area of downtown. Very compelling, especially coming from a woman who has been active in the community for so long. Finally, Tom Schwab (Board Treasurer) spoke about costs and exactly how much we were asking for and why. He had to take the most questions and was able to speak articulately, frankly and from the heart as well.

There was a lot of support coming from the Finance Committee. Councilor O'Neill said this project was long overdue. Of course there were a lot of questions too, which is good and to be expected. Unfortunately, the next meeting needed to start and we ran out of time. So, on a very positive note and with rousing applause from the jam-packed Council Chamber and hallway, the HPL request for bonding will be tabled until the next Finance Committee meeting. (I do not know yet when that will be.) Until then, the Councilors will get their questions together and get them to the library team so they can be addressed at the next meeting. I think step 1 in our process was an amazing success!

Thank you once again for all of the support and I will keep you posted about the date of the next Finance Committee Meeting.
-Debra Vega

Comment by Debra Vega on January 27, 2010 at 3:40pm

Hey Daphne,
No problem about posting the link. I think the pictures are awesome!

Also, to answer your question regarding the presentation...
The plan is to preserve as much of the building as we can within financial and safety restrictions. A bunch of work has to be done before what that looks like will be determined, but the goal is renovation with some kind of new construction component. The finance committee meeting is about getting the city to commit to the public/private financial partnership for the project (at least 1:1 city/library) that will secure the MBLC state grant. Without city bonding the library will lose the grant and there will be no project.
Hope this helps...
-Debra

Comment by Stan Geddes on January 26, 2010 at 12:35pm

Hi Debra,
Thanks for posting that link to HelloHolyoke.com.
What is the plan that the HPL will be presenting to the Finance Comm? I have heard so many options that I wonder which is the final one.
Thanks,
Daphne

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