OKC library not as controversial as Norman proposal

By M. Scott Carter
The Moore American

OKLAHOMA CITY September 17, 2008 02:29 pm

— While Norman residents debate the pros and cons of a new, $35-million-plus library branch for the Pioneer Library System, just a few miles north on Interstate 35, another new PLS library also is in the design phase.
But this one isn’t nearly as controversial.
Situated next to the south Pennsylvania campus of the Moore Norman Career Tech Center, the Pioneer System’s Oklahoma City branch is a joint project between Oklahoma City residents and PLS.
Funded by two separate Oklahoma City general obligation bond issues — the first in 2000 and the second in 2007 — the 18,000-square-foot library will cost about $6 million.
Construction is expected to begin next fall.
And while a design for the facility has been developed, Pioneer officials say that design is not “engraved in stone.” In fact, library administrators have spent weeks scattering throughout the south Oklahoma City area connecting with business leaders, school administrators and even teenagers to get input and ideas for the library.
“The main focus of the informative public meeting is to include the community in the exciting promise of the proposed new public library,” said Pioneer’s CEO, Anne Masters.
Library officials, Masters said, are trying to develop a facility “that will satisfy the information needs of the local citizens and will do it in a way that the community will be proud of the result.”
So far, that concept has worked well.
Last Sunday, library administrators held a public meeting to discuss the new building, new trends in library design and give residents “an overview of the new library project schedule.”
The meeting was held at Oklahoma City’s Eastlake Elementary School and PLS officials said there were few, if any, complaints.
“We had a great meeting,” said Moore Library Manager Lisa Wells. “There were about 61 people, interested citizens, and they asked a lot of questions.”
Wells — part of a three-person team of Pioneer administrators responsible for developing the new library — said residents were “engaged and interested” in the project.
“We’re getting a good response from community,” she said. “They asked some thoughtful questions.”
In addition to last week’s forum, Wells said the library system has taken its case directly to the residents in the area.
“We are going to schools and working to partner with the Moore school district,” she said. “Because when this library opens, it will serve 15 schools, 10 elementary schools, three junior high schools and two high schools.”
Along with their school partnerships, Wells said other Pioneer staff members are contacting business leaders and potential customers. “We’re using this approach to develop programs and build relationships so when we open the doors people know about Pioneer and are excited about be a part of this library,” she said.
They also want input from teenagers.
“While we didn’t have a lot of teenagers attend the first meeting, but we heard concerns about making sure it wasn’t just a bunch of adults sitting around designing libraries for a bunch of other adults,” she said.
To get information, Wells said library staff members are talking to students at the two high schools in the new library’s service area — Westmoore and Southmoore. “We want to have people in Southmoore and Westmoore. They are in the process of booking those meetings right things now.”
Once their public meetings are finished, Wells said library officials — working with architects from the firm Crafton, Tull and Sparks — will finalize the library’s design. That design, she said, will then have to be approved by Oklahoma City officials.
“We expect the approval process to take a few months, then we hope to start construction by the fall of next year,” she said.
All without the debate that has delayed construction of a new library in Norman.
“Honestly, we don’t expect the controversy like they have in Norman,” Well said. “For one, the site has already been identified, and another, the funding is already there.”
Those facts, she said, have made her project much easier. “People are excited. There wasn’t a controversy about putting a library here.”
Oklahoma City officials agree.
There, city leaders described the south library project as a “win-win” for both the city and the Pioneer system.
“I couldn’t be more excited about the new public library project for south Oklahoma City; it is such a win-win situation for everyone involved,” said Oklahoma City Councilman Brian Walters. “The citizens of this area deserve this facility to serve families and provide much needed resources. The City of Oklahoma City is proud to be in partnership with Pioneer Library System in making this dream a reality, and it is certainly a big step forward in meeting the needs of the community.”
With a second meeting planned for late October, Wells said library administrators hope to unveil the final design for the facility.
“We’re moving quickly,” she said. “We’re not just sitting around waiting. The design can’t move forward until we complete the public part of the process. People are excited. They voted in 2000 and they’re ready. But you can’t just say ‘we’ll build it and they will come.’”
M. Scott Carter366-3545scarter@mooreamerican.com