The quest for Los Altos’ main library remodel is under new momentum.
The Los Altos City Council gave the nod last week for members of the library commission to get approval from the North County Library Authority on a Request for Proposal (RFP) to begin preliminary designs for the remodel. Commission representatives were scheduled to address the NCLA board Monday.
Commissioners Pierre Bedard and Julie Crane noted that Los Altos is the second smallest library (28,000 square feet) in the Santa Clara County Library District and the last with a major remodel (in 1990).
Located in the civic center plaza, the library is in need of a wide range of interior changes that will maximize the limited space. The proposals include options to reconfigure and enlarge the lobby, install “family” bathrooms, move the children’s area entrance to enable direct access, remediate inadequate wiring and improve accessibility.
Despite its small size, the library comes in fourth out of seven libraries in gate count and circulation. Bedard noted the library averages 825 visitors daily.
Bedard and Crane drew from several resources for their Jan. 23 council presentation, including 2008 and 2018 needs assessments, a Santa Clara County library strategic plan, a 2018 architect feasibility study and 2019 patron satisfaction studies.
Bedard said there is approximately $13 million in funding that the library could draw on for the remodel, including $10 million in NCLA funds and $1 million from the Friends of the Library of Los Altos. An additional, unspecified amount of funding would also come from the Los Altos Library Endowment.
“In terms of funding, there has been some controversy as to where these numbers come from,” Bedard told the council. “I want to assure you that these numbers are extremely conservative.”
Vice Mayor Pete Dailey indicated library supporters have had to temper expansion plans due to cost and available space. He noted, for instance, there was discussion in the past about adding a second floor but the current building could not accommodate the addition without a costly rebuild.
“There are not enough funds to rebuild, in my estimation,” Bedard said. “There are enough funds to remodel, if we focus, and that’s what we’ve chosen to do in this project.
“I think there’s a concept we need to acknowledge that there’s effective square footage that can be gained within an existing footprint that buys greater utility as though you’re creating additional square footage,” noted Councilmember Sally Meadows. “Because you’re increasing the usability of the space. So just because you’re not expanding a footprint, doesn’t mean you aren’t really increasing the effectiveness of the square footage.”
Meadows, a council liaison to NCLA along with Dailey, offered two other pieces of context: Library input also will involve the town of Los Altos Hills, which also funds the authority; and Woodland library, located further south off Foothill Expressway, also adds to Los Altos circulation numbers and numbers of patrons.
“I would like NCLA to send it back to each of the two councils for approval,” she added. “If NCLA agrees in concept that they would like to participate, then they would give direction to ask each council to consider it. And to give the direction to the NCLA representatives. That’s the two of us here in this city to then say ‘NCLA, we have agreement on the part of our cities,’ so that the authority can use the funds. I think that’s the cleanest way to do it.”
The library plans discussed last week are different from a separate proposal among library supporters to build a library patio area and walkway outside the children’s library area and into a portion of the civic center’s heritage orchard.
