1.
Why do we need a new library? Didn’t we just build this one?
The current library has only
half the space needed to serve a population of 92,500 residents
of the City of San Mateo and 10,825 residents of the Town of
Hillsborough, which has no library of its own. In addition to
resident users, approximately 20,000 non-resident visitors come
to the library every year. The library lacks space for book
collections, computers (only 10 public Internet terminals
available), group study and quiet reading areas. The narrow
aisles and small elevators fail to meet the needs of the
disabled. In addition to these constraints on basic services,
the existing facility lacks meeting rooms for library programs
and community gatherings and for years, patrons have objected to
the lack of parking.
The current library, completed in 1968, was built at a time when
buildings were constructed with thick concrete walls which make
it costly to wire for even minimal technology advancements.
Further, its power and mechanical systems are taxed to capacity
and therefore unable to meet the demands of changing technology.
The Children’s Library is woefully inadequate for today’s needs.
Happily, children’s book circulation has grown by more that 75%
in the last fifteen years. Due to lack of space, for every
child’s book purchased, one book has to be removed.
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2. How will
the new library be better?
The building will feature
specially designed areas for children and teens; quiet areas for
reading; individual and group study rooms; a partially enclosed
two-story reading room brightly lit by skylights bringing
daylight to the center of the building; conference and community
meeting rooms for 24 to 150 which can be used after library
hours; a variety of comfortable seating and table arrangements
with wireless access, 100 Internet terminals;
multi-person computer work stations; a café; outdoor courtyards
and terraces; and more that three times the current number of
parking spaces. Settled among our lovely redwood trees, the new
library will be airy, modern and light.
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3. Why do you
need private donations? Didn’t we vote a tax measure for the
library?
The Library Trustees and the
San Mateo City Council wanted to keep the tax burden modest
especially for the city’s residents who live on fixed incomes.
At the time the ballot measure appeared before the voters in
November 1999, the Library Foundation assumed responsibility for
raising private funds to supplement the bond issue. A strategy
to combine bond funds, private donations and State matching
funds from a March 2000 State ballot was endorsed by the City
Council before the local bond measure was placed on the November
1999 ballot.
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4. Why should
I contribute to a tax supported institution?
The San Mateo Public Library is
supported by tax-based funding from the City of San Mateo. This
includes funding for staff, collections, facilities and
operating expenses. As the Library continues to expand its
services to the community, the San Mateo Public Library
Foundation partners with the private sector to secure funds to
improve and enhance programs and services not covered by the
City budget. Recent grants to the Library have included funding
for the popular Summer Reading Program, Infant Storytimes,
Project Read Computer Lab, Internet training sessions, cultural
programs, a collection of DVDs and numerous books and CDs to
meet the needs of a diverse community.
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5. Aren’t
libraries going to be obsolete with the Internet?
The Internet is one more tool
the library uses to deliver information, but it will not be
replacing libraries any time soon. Despite the breadth of
information on the Internet it still lacks depth. Nothing much
on the Internet is older than 15 years. Researchers of all ages
still need access to information written before the advent of
the web.
The Internet lacks organization, which means that even with a
good search engine, finding information on the Internet is a
needle-in-a-haystack search. Librarians train library users in
research skills, strategy and selecting the best resources,
print or online, which enables library customers to be better
information seekers. Also, it’s important to verify information
located on the Internet because sites come and go with great
frequency and very little content is regulated or substantiated.
Despite digitalization and the emergence of e-books, publishers
are still printing books and the library will continue to be a
resource to borrow books in both print and electronic formats.
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6. Is there
going to be a café?
Yes, a café has been one of the
most frequently requested amenities. Approximately 450 sq. ft.
has been allocated for a coffee cart area, with an adjoining
terrace, on the Third Floor. Its location has been carefully
planned so the activity doesn’t interfere with designated quiet
study areas.
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7. Will there
be more special collections?
There will be ample room for
expansion and growth of all collections including the David D.
Bohannon Business Collection, Leon S. Benson Holocaust Studies
Collection, California History, Large Print Books and World
Languages including Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, French and
Farsi. A new Life Sciences/Biotechnology Learning Center is
being planned.
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8. What is
there for children and teens?
The Children’s Library will
have five times more space, 18 computers, 200% increase in
collection size, a flexible storytime area with stepped seating,
group study area, a variety of seating sizes, child-sized
restrooms and a nursing/changing area. The Children’s Library
will also feature an outdoor courtyard and garden with stepped
storytime space and activity area.
A unique teen-oriented space will be situated on the third floor
of the new library overlooking the redwood trees. The area will
have eleven times more space, comfortable seating, 100% increase
in collection size, three group study rooms, 8 multi-task
computers and be adjacent to the Multi-Media Library.
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9. Where is
the parking going to be?
The new library will offer two
floors of underground parking with 172 spaces.
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10. What’s a
‘Green’ building?
The term ‘green’ is used to
describe an energy efficient and environmentally sensitive
building design. Due to overwhelming public interest, the City
of San Mateo is making a commitment to recycle, to conserve
energy and water and to use products that come from renewable
resources. The new library building will utilize
energy-efficient mechanisms to save the library more than 20% in
energy costs; efficient and environmentally friendly building
practices will include: roof mounted photovoltaic cells;
building materials with a minimum 25% recycled content; water
efficient landscaping; minimal use of volatile organic compounds
(VOC) found in adhesives, carpets or paints; and windows that
open so air conditioning can be turned off on cool days.
The new Main Library will be certified by LEED (Leadership in
Energy and Environmental Design) a green building rating system
of the U.S. Green Building Council and be one of the ‘greenest’
public buildings on the West Coast.
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11. Who’s
running the campaign? How much is it costing?
The San Mateo Public Library
Foundation is a non-profit organization and the primary
fundraising arm of the San Mateo Public Library. The Board of
Directors has appointed a Capital Campaign Cabinet, Chaired by
Jan Epstein, Mayor and San Mateo City Council Member.
Capital campaign budgets typically fall in the range of 3% to
10% of the campaign goal. Our campaign costs are estimated at
6.1 % of the $10 million goal or $610,000 for a three-year
campaign, well within the national average for campaign costs.
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12. Who is
being asked to contribute?
The Library Foundation will
turn to the people who love the library, use it and believe in
its importance as a community asset. Our New Library…Building
for the Future campaign is a community-wide fundraising effort.
Everyone will have an opportunity to participate. The library is
a local center where every member of the community can feel a
sense of ownership and opportunity.
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13. What
kind of recognition will there be for donors?
The Library Foundation thanks
and honors friends and supporters by recognizing their
contributions to the Capital Campaign in various ways, based on
the level of gift and the donor’s accumulated gifts through the
campaign period (present - 2006).
- For major gifts of specified
amounts donated to support a room, special area, service or
program, a permanent recognition will be placed in its nearest
proximity. Such gifts can be used to honor or memorialize
individuals, families, businesses or affiliated groups through
this association with the new library.
- A Donor Wall will be located
in the lobby of the Main Library and permanently recognize
donors who contribute $5,000 and above. Tribute is also paid
to persons in whose memory or honor a gift is donated.
- Donors who contribute in the
range of $1,000 – 4,999 will have their names placed on a
mural that will be designed by the architects. The location of
the mural will be determined at a later date and may be inside
or outside of the Main Library building.
- Donors who contribute
$100.00 will have a bookplate inscribed in their names and
placed in a book at the Main, Hillsdale or Marina Branch
Library, according to the donor’s wishes.
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