Library patrons may have a larger space to visit in the next few years. Okotoks Public Library representatives visited Okotoks council on Sept. 10 and MD of Foothills council on Sept. 26 to discuss its need to expand in order to better serve the region. “What we have today is 14,531 square feet, which is below the essential or basic standards as recommended by the municipal affairs for public libraries,” said Lorraine Cathro, Okotoks Public Library board member. “What we should have as of today, 22,555 square feet for that basic standard and for the excellent standard 31,925 square feet.” Knowing there was a high demand for more services and space, including an increase in programs and meeting rooms, the board began its own public consultation over the summer, she said. Surveys were done at community events as well as in the library, and she said they received 292 responses over two months. Of those, nearly 83 per cent were in favour of expanding the library on its current site, she said. “Sometimes there were qualifiers – it must have more parking, what about a second storey so that we’re not increasing our footprint, flood protection was a concern, and people wanted to be economical,” said Cathro. Major challenges at the current library include parking, a lack of program space so numbers are limited, high demand for room rentals as well as more study and meeting spaces, and a need for more staff work space and storage, she said. Based on the wants of the community and the high desire to see the library expand at its site, the library board sought consultation from an architectural firm to get preliminary drawings done. The drawings show a second-storey extension of the building set on columns above the existing parking lot to ensure few parking spaces are lost, she said. One version of the addition was rendered in mostly glass walls to provide natural light and a second version was done in brick to be consistent with the existing building, but with large windows. “Because parking is such an issue it was determined the logical thing to do, and also to reduce the footprint, was to go up and over the parking lot,” said Cathro. “But these are very preliminary.” The next steps would be to do engineering studies and look carefully into the fact the library sits in the Sheep River flood fringe, she said. A fundraising campaign will also be undertaken, she said, beginning by placing a “Donate” button on the Okotoks Public Library website for people to send money online. The library board also plans to be involved in raising funds for the expansion, thought there is no estimated cost for construction at this time, she said. “We would like, as a board, to contribute more to funding,” said Cathro. “We now raise 13 per cent of our total ask and we would like to increase that and we are going to do fundraising initiatives.” It’s important to build the library for future growth, she said. There were 18,394 patrons – meaning Okotoks or MD residents with a library card – in 2017, she said. Of those, just over 4,000 were from the MD. In total, the library saw 155,000 in-person visits in 2017, an increase of 12.6 per cent in 2016, she said. “We are growing – and growing rapidly – in terms of the usage of our library,” said Cathro. She said today’s library is more than just books and encyclopedias. It includes computer access for people who need it, e-resources, movies, music and video games, and equipment like walking poles, snowshoes and toys. More people are using the library as a place to come for uses like tutoring, mentoring and studying, she said. “A library today is a gathering place,” said Cathro. “We are inclusive, we’re welcoming, we foster learning, leisure, recreation and entertainment, we provide free programs and activities for everyone, from our youngest to our oldest citizens. “Libraries have evolved. They are not the libraries of my childhood certainly, they are places where the community meets and they are the heart of the community.” Okotoks Coun. Ray Watrin, who sits on the library board, said the library is important to the town and surrounding area and the need for expansion should be considered. “The library, I really believe, is the jewel of our community here in Okotoks,” he said. MD Coun. Allan Alger, who also sits on the board, agreed. He said prior to taking on his assignment with the board he was one of the people in the community who wondered whether libraries are relevant anymore. “Everybody thinks because of the Internet now there’s no need for the library,” said Alger. “But once you sit on this board and you deal with these things you see the importance to the town and to the general public.”
