After the bond After the bond (September 29, 2004)

Although the status quo remains, Palo Alto's libraries haven't been stagnant
In November 2002, Palo Alto voters rejected a $49.1 million bond that would have completely rebuilt the Mitchell Park Library and Community Center, and expanded and repaired the Children's Library.

The 38.5 percent that voted no - the bond required a two-thirds approval -- balked at the large cost and wondered what about the commotion. Aren't Palo Alto's libraries fine?

Library advocates were devastated.

In the intervening years, there has been activity at the libraries.

Budget cuts forced the libraries to permanently close the Terman Park Library, and shut down the others a few more hours and days a week.

On the positive side, the Palo Alto Library Foundation formed in 2003. Its goal was to raise private funds to support library construction. In 2003, it raised more than $1 million to repair and modestly expand Children's Library. That construction begins next year.

The City Council also authorized some new dollars to repair the other libraries in future years. For instance, the city will spend $590,000 at Mitchell Park in 2005-2006, $1 million in 2006-2007 for College Terrace, and $909,000 for Main Library in 2008-2009. That will retrofit the libraries, replace outdated electrical systems, and make them ADA accessible.

Some library advocates, though, are now calling those projects "Band-aids." Kathy Miller, the president of Palo Alto Library Foundation, said such efforts could hurt future fund-raising drives since potential donors will contend basic needs are getting met.

Since 2001, librarians have creatively tried to make do with what they have. Self-checkout machines have become common, and more are on the way. The furniture at Mitchell Park was reorganized (some tables and chairs were placed outside and the circulation desk was removed) to find more space for the hundreds of teens that pile inside every day.

At the Main Library, librarians have created a space for homework help, and are trying to find funds to remove the bulky, largely unnecessary circulation desk to free up more space.

--Bill D'Agostino

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