Report: It’s time for new chapter at Palmer library

PALMER — The Palmer Library is bursting its bindings and needs to add more chapters to its future. That is one of the findings outlined in the city’s recent Citizen Efficiency Review Team’s report.

The team, comprised of industry professionals, government representatives and Palmer residents, reviewed city services to identify areas where government can be more efficient and cost-effective. It also sees a need for the growing community’s library to keep pace to meet the demands of residents.

“There will have to be some changes to the library to be able to continue providing the services that residents are used to,” Mayor John Combs said.

Some of the recommendations outlined in the report include physically expanding the library building, along with a more aggressive marketing plan. The recommendations did not include cost analysis or timetables.

“The main purpose [of the review team] is to identify those main areas of government services that require improvement,” City Manager Bill Allen said, adding it is up to staff and the city council to prioritize and implement any recommendations.

With the library, the review team found 12 areas, including its size and online catalog, that need attention, the report says. With a collection of 45,000 books and eight Internet-ready computers, the library has a wealth of information for patrons. But the building is running out of space to accommodate the growing number of books while still providing the same level of service.

“It was interesting to have [the library] looked at from another point of view,” Palmer Library Director Pat Kilmain said.

The team outlined issues Kilmain also recognizes as important, she said, adding that when it comes to the Palmer Library, size does matter. In addition to being a repository for books and information, the public library has also traditionally been a community meeting and gathering place.

“We’re kind of crowding the different programs out of the library,” Mayor Combs added.

According to the report, the Palmer Library is so cramped that its former children’s area is now also home to additional shelving.

“It’s not a matter of if we’re going to expand the library, it’s a matter when we’re going to look into expanding the library,” Combs said. Initial talks of library expansion have sparked a preliminary plan that would add an additional 5,000 square feet to the library.

In addition to expanding the physical presence of the library, the review team recommends the library continue looking into growing its online catalog and technology. This could be possible through a cooperative system provided by the Anchorage Public Library, the report says. Through the Regional Online Catalogue System, participating libraries and institutions have access to books available at the University of Alaska Anchorage and the Anchorage public library.

Kilmain said the system would be a welcome addition to the library. Not only would patrons have access to local material, but they could glean information previously available only by traveling to Anchorage.

The quality of a city’s public library is also essential to its economic health, Combs said. Developers and other industries considering a move to Palmer look at the local amenities, like schools and the library, as quality of life issues in making decisions to relocate.

Contact Chris Gillow at chris.gillow@frontiersman.com or 352-2284.