Photograph by Robert Scheer
Bernice Giansiracusa, president of Friends of the Saratoga Libraries, works in a small, cluttered space at the library.
By Sarah Lombardo
Another chapter in the story of the Saratoga Community Library's quest for more room had a happy ending at the Jan. 7 City Council meeting. Council members agreed to write a letter stating they support placing a bond measure on the June 1998 ballot to raise funds for the library's expansion.
The decision came after a presentation from the Saratoga Library Commission, during which commission chairwoman Marcia Manzo told the council the county is likely to pay for initial architect's drawings.
"It is an option that won't cost you anything. [The Santa Clara County Joint Powers Authority] will fund, we believe, the initial architect's drawings which we talked about in 1991 as costing about $42,500," Manzo said. "It's money that you don't need to worry about."
According to Manzo, the JPA might pay for the costs of initial drawings for the project under a new library-expansion policy, adopted in October. The policy established a building reserve fund "to provide funds to initiate building projects for libraries." But before funds can be allotted to the Saratoga Community Library project, the JPA requires a letter from the City Council stating its intent to put the expansion issue on the ballot.
Manzo said immediate action is crucial.
The library commission wants to more than double the size of the library from 18,000 square feet to 40,000 square feet. No cost estimates were given.
"There are several libraries who are asking for expansions," Manzo said. "One of the things that we're feeling kind of pressed about here is that the Central Library does not wish to have to handle much more than one building project at a time, so we would like to get a bid in so we don't have to wait until all these other libraries are expanded."
The council agreed to get a letter of intent to the commission as soon as possible.
It will cost the city about $6,000 to put the library expansion on the June 1998 ballot, said City Manager Harry Peacock.
The next chapter for the project includes choosing an architect, building a model of the proposed new library and starting to educate voters.
The library-expansion project first started in 1991, but came to an abrupt halt in 1993 after cuts in the county budget left the library scurrying to maintain its hours.
The Saratoga Library, at Saratoga and Fruitvale avenues, is operated by the county, but the building is owned by the city of Saratoga.
This article appeared in the Saratoga News, January 15, 1997.
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