Re: Library expansion project
Hello. My name is Wendy Taylor. I am the vice president of the Friends of the Jefferson Iowa Public Library (FoL) and liaison to the library staff. At our board meeting last night, I realized we FoL board members are hearing some confusion, disappointment, and even some frustration from community members about the proposed library expansion project. I hope to clarify some of this.
The primary confusion seems to be if the project is continuing. This also seems to be a point of frustration as people are not seeing any “action”. Unfortunately, like many complex projects, there’s almost as much mundane, background work taking place as there is of the exciting production. Nothing “showy” is happening right now but moving forward continues. If you want updates on this project, please visit the library’s website and review the dedicated Library Expansion Project page. Or, come to a board of trustees meeting or FoL meeting. These meetings are open to the public.
I know there is disappointment and concern about the changed financial scope. I believe what may have gotten lost in all the information provided is that Amperage did not include funding from other sources in the $3 million. I understand the concerns with this, especially in light of federal and state government cuts. However, I encourage everyone to think outside those boundaries. There are many other sources of funding the project may be able to obtain and are actively seeking out as one of the multitude of steps in this project.
I believe libraries are vital hubs of the communities they live in. This is true of the Jefferson library as well and they demonstrate it daily. Maybe they could do a better job at times of “tooting their own horn”, so to speak. Maybe as a FoL board member, I can step up to that more frequently as well. For example, did you know that for the library’s fiscal year (2024-2025) the total number of items circulated as of the end of June was 31,676? The total number of ways the library was used for the year was 76,079? Or that the library held 314 programs attended by 11,647 people? There are over 3000 people with Jefferson Iowa Public Library cards. This tells me our library is working hard to serve the wants and needs of the community.
Our small town in Iowa is amazing. Our library contributes to that in very real, tangible ways. I am as impatient as anyone else to see construction begin. I also recognize nothing worthwhile is without challenges and nothing worthwhile is ever completed in a rush. I am excited for the library expansion project. I am excited to be a part of it as both a library patron and FoL board member. I believe in the success of this project. I hope I have cleared up some questions and more people become as excited as me to be part of this journey as our library grows to help meet the needs of the community it serves.
Wendy Taylor, Jefferson
