Georgetown: America’s Fastest-Growing City Plans Library Expansion!
GEORGETOWN, Texas — Georgetown is shining bright as the fastest-growing city in the nation, and with an avalanche of new residents flocking to this lovely town, the city is gearing up to enhance public services! One of the key players in this expansion is none other than the Georgetown Public Library, which has seen a substantial boom in demand since it opened its doors in 2007.
Library Needs More Space!
According to library director Sally Miculek, the library is facing a bit of a dilemma. “We started getting to a point where it’s hard to keep enough materials on the shelves to meet everybody’s needs,” she said, highlighting the library’s struggle to keep up. With Georgetown’s population skyrocketing from about 46,000 to nearly 100,000, the current library space of 50,000 square feet just isn’t cutting it.
Recognizing this pressing challenge, the city has kicked off a long-range expansion plan. Six months ago, Georgetown, along with the Friends of the Library, invested in a study to understand exactly how best to expand. They partnered with Steinberg Hart, an architecture firm based in Austin to gather expert insights. The findings revealed that the library needs a hefty 40% expansion to cope with the increasing community needs. The top suggestion? Expand the library to a whopping 70,000 square feet!
Downtown Vibe is Here to Stay!
But don’t worry, folks! If there isn’t enough room to expand right where it is, the library is committed to searching for alternatives, yet they hope to keep the library’s downtown charm. Miculek added, “The overwhelming sentiment is that the citizens of Georgetown love having their main library downtown.” It’s clear that the location means a lot to the community!
Branches and Beyond!
What else is in store for Georgetown’s literary enthusiasts? The study suggests adding additional branches throughout the city to better serve everyone’s needs. Not only that, but it proposes creating more events outside the library’s walls, including story times, programming, and even job training courses—bringing library services directly to the residents.
Currently, the library runs a fantastic service called the WOW!mobile (Words on Wheels), which is essentially a bus filled with books that travels around town to help those who have a tough time making it to the library, like seniors and children. Excitingly, library leaders are looking to double the size of this program! “Hopefully that will give us a chance as we work through that project, it’ll give us the opportunity to find other ways to bring library services and resources closer to people’s homes,” Miculek expressed.
What’s Next for Georgetown’s Library Expansion?
So, what’s happening next? The design team at Steinberg Hart is hard at work finishing up the final expansion plan, which includes estimated budgets and timelines. They’re expected to submit their draft to the city later this month. Then, the Georgetown City Council is likely to vote on this exciting plan come January or February!
For any physical expansions, residents will have a say through the normal bond election process, ensuring that the voice of the community is heard loud and clear. The anticipation is building in Georgetown as they look forward to not just expanding their beloved library, but enriching the whole community for years to come!
