What’s in store for your neighborhood Wichita library in $3.7 million improvement plan?
A $2.3 million expansion of the Westlink Library and finding a new home for the Linwood Library are among the highlights of a master plan for what to do with satellite branches, now that the new downtown library is up and running.
In contrast to earlier plans that envisioned shrinking the library system and closing the Linwood and Evergreen branches, the new plan envisions putting at least $185,000 into each of the six satellite libraries.
The overall cost is just short of $3.7 million.
The plan was presented publicly for the first time during a joint meeting of the City Council and the Library Board on Tuesday.
Drafted by a subcommittee of the two boards and city staff, it was also the first look for most of the members of the panels.
They seemed to like what they saw.
“I think it’s good we’re looking at expansion and improvement of the libraries instead of closing them, which is where we were a year ago,” said Library Board member Jonathan Winkler. “It does the best we can within the financial constraints.”
Council member Cindy Claycomb, who was on the subcommittee that made the plan, said the goal is to have each of the branches concentrate on local concerns that would be hard to address through the Advanced Learning Library downtown.
“Each of our branch libraries has some unique service in that neighborhood, while remaining aligned with the (downtown) library and the city’s mission to serve the public,” she said.
Here’s how the plan would benefit each of the six libraries in the branch system:
Westlink Library — The only library west of the I-235 freeway, Westlink is the most heavily used of the branches. It accounts for about a fourth of all checkouts of materials and a third of participants in children’s storytimes, according to City Council member Bryan Frye.
But the branch on Bekemeyer near Tyler and Central is far too small for the traffic, Frye said. “It continues to have great children’s programming but we have to turn people away because there’s not enough space.”
The proposed remedy is to build an addition on to the south side of the library, about doubling its size, along with reconfiguring the parking lot to accommodate more cars.
That would cost $2.3 million, well below the cost of building new, Frye said.
Another factor to consider is that an adjacent church donated the land for the library, but the property would revert to the church if the city stops using it as a library, he said.
The local concentration for Westlink would be serving families with children, lifelong learning and digital inclusion and leisure services which includes loaning out music and popular movies and offering activities such as scrapbooking.
Rockwell Library — This east-side library near 9th and Woodlawn has many of the same strengths and challenges as the Westlink branch.
Priorities for local service include children and family programming, digital inclusion, lifelong learning and leisure services.
Recommendations include a new teen area, better seating, higher ceilings, removal of a fireplace and outdated parquet flooring, and remodeling of the restrooms.
Estimated cost: $455,000.
Linwood Library — This little library sits in a lower-income neighborhood in south Wichita where many residents lack access to quality broadband service. It’s well-used as a computing hub for people who can’t afford internet access at home and for seniors who want access to popular materials.
But the library near Mt. Vernon and Hydraulic is inside a recreation center and expansion wouldn’t be easy.
City staff is looking for a possible site to relocate, with possibilities including the Wichita Mall or on some of the land where Clapp Golf Course is now. The city is planning to close that golf course and replace it with some other park uses.
The cost to relocate the library has not yet been estimated.
Alford Library — This library serves a largely working-class area of southwest Wichita. Priorities there are early childhood education and school readiness, supporting K-12 student achievement and ultimately, workforce development.
Recommendations for improvements to the branch on South Meridian include better seating, improved acoustics and better carpeting, lighting and paint. Total cost: $480,000.
Maya Angelou Library — Situated in the heart of Wichita’s historically black community, the recommendation for the Angelou branch near 21st and Hillside includes an emphasis on African-American culture and writings. Literacy across age groups, digital inclusion and workforce training are also priorities.
Suggested upgrades include better seating for study, acoustics and technology, along with a meeting room window. Cost estimate: $257,000.
Evergreen Library — In the heart of the El Pueblo neighborhood, the Evergreen Library near 25th and Arkansas is part of an overall neighborhood improvement area that includes a neighborhood center, a recreation center, a GraceMed charity health clinic and an elementary school.
The overall concept, according to Claycomb, is to renovate the neighborhood center and co-locate the library with it to create an “anchor institution” for the area.
The library branch would focus on literacy, Hispanic culture, digital inclusion, small business support and workforce development.
It carries the smallest library-specific price tag, $185,000, but that’s not counting construction work that would be included in the budget for neighborhood center.
The next step will be to draw the proposed improvements into the city’s Capital Improvement Budget, which funds new construction and renovation of municipal facilities.
If all goes well, work will begin on the libraries next year and be finished in 2023.
This story was originally published April 2, 2019 at 5:36 PM.
