Building Funds are currently at $299,016.66.
The Trustees have been trying to make the the Library building compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act for a very long time. Below, you can find a brief history of this ongoing quest going back to 1996. Currently, we are seeking to build up our capital reserve as much as possible to increase the odds that future design and development work will actually reach fruition instead of languishing unfunded until it is too stale to use.
2024 SO FAR – The Library Trustees, Town Administration, and Building and Facilities Construction Committee discussed adding a Library ADA proposal to the projects being managed by Weston and Sampson, but the opportunity has not arisen. Other options are now being researched.
2023 – Library Building Consultant Mary Braney prepared a new Building Program for the Library in advance of a Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners construction grant round, but the Trustees and Director of the Library chose not to move forward with the grant as building to MBLC standards would entail a project with vast costs estimated between $13 million and $19 million.
2019 – Architect Aaron Socrat sketched a proposal for adding an elevator and stairs onto the back of the Library economically.
2017 – The Library applied for and failed to obtain grant funding from the Massachusetts Office on Disabilities to install a LULA lift for accessibility.
2016 – A crushed asphalt parking lot was designed and installed behind the Library to alleviate parking problems.
2015 – An article was drafted for the town meeting warrant to appropriate $2.2 million to fund Van Voorhis’s final design, but dropped due to the town’s financial situation at the time. A Prop 2.5 Override was also on the ballot, and failed.
2012 – Architect Charlie Van Voorhis completed a Design Development Report as well as a Final Design for Library accessibility renovation.
2011 – The Building and Facilities Construction Committee selected Architect Charlie Van Voorhis to prepare the next schematic design.
2008-2010 – In the process of updating estimates to the 2007 Farley Plans, it was decided by the town engineer, legal council, and Building & Facilities Construction Committee that the plans were too old and a new designer selection process was necessary.
2007 – Architect Robert Farley sketched out and estimated a minimalistic plan for ADA compliance.
2005 – Douglas came off the waitlist, but a debt exclusion article to procure the town’s share of construction cost failed at town meeting and on the election ballot.
2001 – Douglas was awarded a construction grant by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners and put on a waitlist.
2000 – A building program was drafted to renovate and expand current facilities using a design created by Architect Robert Farley.
1998 – Dixon Salo drafted sketches for a minimal addition achieving ADA compliance.
1996 – Handicap Accessibility Study for the Library completed by Jean Carroon Architects indicated that achieving ADA compliance without negatively impacting service requires an addition.