Clapp for Community
June 3, 2010
New State Grant Round Offers Better Timing, Greater Funding
In planning how best to proceed with Clapp
Memorial Library’s proposed renovation and expansion project, the library’s
Trustees have decided to let the present State grant expire and apply for a
replacement under a new round recently announced by the Massachusetts Board
of Library Commissioners (MBLC). The new round offers a timetable which
provides a better chance of successfully completing project funding, and a
higher level of financial support.
The schedule for the new round calls for
applications to be submitted in January, 2011, with award decisions to be
made by the MBLC in June or July. Successful applicants will have a
six-month period for completion of project funding. That means that if Clapp
Memorial Library were awarded a grant under the new round and placed at the
top of the waiting list for funding, the deadline for completion of funding
would be about year-end 2011.
That timing meshes nicely with the Trustees’
outlook for seeking Town financing for the project. Following the rejection
of Town funding at a Special Town Meeting held last November in the depths
of the recession, the Trustees decided not to return with another request
for funding until the economic and employment outlook had improved
significantly. That level of recovery won’t occur until sometime late in
2011, at the earliest. In contrast, the present grant has a deadline of June
15, 2010 for completion of project funding, and the MBLC has indicated that
extension of that deadline until late 2011 will not be possible. On that
basis, the Trustees concluded that continuing with the present grant is not
feasible, and decided to abandon the present grant and apply under the new
round.
The feasibility of participating in the new
round is a result of the slowdown in Belchertown’s growth rate. The new
round will require a library design adequate to meet the town’s needs in the
year 2030, rather than 2020, the basis for the present design. Ordinarily,
the added population growth in that ten-year period would have required a
complete redesign, a task which could not be completed in time to file the
grant application in January. As a result of the slowdown, however,
Belchertown’s estimated population in the year 2030 is very near the 19,000
figure used as the basis for the current design. Therefore, only minor
modification of the design will be required, and that work can be completed
in time.
The new round also provides a higher level of
State support. Under the new provisions, the grant will cover about
forty-five percent of the cost of the project, compared to the thirty to
thirty-five percent provided by the present grant.
“The Trustees are delighted to have the
opportunity to participate in the new MBLC grant round,” said Steve Lanphear,
President of the Board. “It will solve a difficult timing problem for us,
and also provide a higher level of State funding than we had under the
present grant.”
February 5, 2010
Donors stand behind Library expansion effort...and new contributors
continue to join the effort.
more
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Certain institutions are vital to
the lifeblood of every community. In our town, the Clapp Memorial
Library, located in the very heart of Belchertown, has served as one of those
institutions. It has provided materials and services for readers,
information seekers, and life-long learners since it opened in 1887 -
a bequest of
John Francis Clapp.
In doing so, it has served as a focal point for learning and cultural events
for several generations. We hope to carry on the legacy of preserving
our heritage of the past and promise of the future.
A capital campaign – over 10 years in the
making – is underway to renovate and expand our facilities, to address
population growth that has burgeoned, the changing needs of today’s patrons
and the inefficiencies of our historic library building. The
goal is to rejuvenate the Clapp Memorial Library
to its original purpose: A Destination Place. THE
place in Belchertown to find reliable resources for readers and information
seekers of all ages; to experience learning and culture; and to enjoy
“community” at its finest.
Why
should we support
the renovation and expansion of the Clapp Memorial Library?
10.
The timing is critical.
Proceeding now will enable us to take advantage of a temporarily favorable
construction cost environment produced by the current economic downturn.
Furthermore, if we don’t
accept the presently-available State funds, it will be about ten years
before we can revive the project.
9. The
State wants to give us money. We have received a state grant for $3.3
million, contingent upon our arranging for the balance of the required
funds.
8.
Libraries are more important than ever,
especially in times of economic difficulty. Statistics show that library
usage has increased, not decreased, since the start of the computer age.
7. This
project will continue the legacy of John Clapp by providing free and
equal access for all citizens of Belchertown to be informed, literate,
educated and culturally enriched.
6. We can
retain and improve our historic treasure Much-needed safety, comfort,
accessibility and efficiency measures will preserve and upgrade the value
of the existing library building.
5. It will
improve property values.
The presence of an
adequate library makes Belchertown attractive for both new residents and
new businesses.
4.
Belchertown uses its library. Over 60% of town residents are library
cardholders, and our circulation rates and program participation are very
high.
3. All other
public buildings have been upgraded. Now, after 121 years, it’s time to
bring the library to the level we need.
2. The
library serves everyone in Town. It has something for all people of all
ages, interests, and circumstances.
1. It’s the right thing to
do. This is a “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity for us to make a major
contribution to keeping Belchertown the kind of place we want to live.
Please join with us to help make the
Clapp Memorial Library all that our community needs and deserves. |
