Massachusetts Public Library Trustees Handbook 

Develop A Long-Range Plan

Identify and review community needs for information and library services.

Evaluate present library services, materials and facilities in relation to identified community needs.

Compare your library services with those provided by similar communities using documents like the MBLC statistical data for Massachusetts publications.

Compare your library to existing state and national guidelines and standards for service.

Consider using a simple survey for users and non-users to identify "hidden" issues.

Prepare a formal long range planning document including a mission statement and service goals based on community needs.

Study Your Building

Establish a Library Facility Needs Committee.

Compare the services identified in your long range plan within the parameters of your current facility, what works, what doesn't, and what you need to change.

Review your facility against building codes, ADA requirements, library space standards.

Identify space, service, staff and program issues that need to be addressed.

Prepare written facility needs assessment report.

Identify, review and evaluate potential solutions. Include all possible solutions not just preferred ones.

Plan Your Project

Write, or hire a consultant to write, a Library Building Program statement. This will become the basis of the architect's design and will serve as a guide by which to judge project implementation. Talk with others who have done it. MBLC can help you write it by providing guidelines, workbooks, access to its reference collection, and advice.

Review your Library Building Program Statement to make sure that it plans for the twenty-year need of your community, including adequate gross square footage, seating, and book capacity based on professional standards, your long range plan and community needs as identified by the needs assessment committee.

Set objectives that will move the library toward your goal. Divide the project, including fundraising, into discrete steps and develop a preliminary time frame for accomplishment. Determine a basis for evaluating progress toward goals and review it regularly.

Assign priorities and clarify responsibilities of staff, trustees, building committee, Friends, and town officials.

Develop A Fundraising Strategy

Gather together a Fundraising Committee. Use your Friends group as a base but expand it beyond the usual group of supporters. Appoint a chairperson who is well known and a community leader.

Identify all possible sources of funding. Check out state and federal grants (including MBLC), corporations or businesses in your region, private foundations, and wealthy individuals with links with your community.

Examine library "treasures" (valuable paintings or other artifacts) and consider whether these should (or could) be sold to fund expanded services to your community.

Remember that you will need to raise funds for the feasibility study and preliminary architectural work early in the project.

Write up a draft fundraising plan with timeline and chart of responsibilities. Since total project costs will not yet be known, identify goals using percentages of total costs.

Inform The Community And Gain Support

Present planning information and documentation to town officials and the entire community.

Publicize the Library Facility Needs Assessment Committee meetings and actively encourage community participation.

Have a copy of planning documents on reserve in your library and publicize this fact.

Develop a good working relationship with local newspaper staff and other media. Be informative, friendly, and very careful in what you say. Consider appointing one person the media liaison: either the director or an involved trustee.

Manage The Feasibility Study

Clarify exactly what you want done in the feasibility study and write this down.

Work with town officials to prepare a request for qualifications (RFQ) using your town's written procedures for selecting designers and following the guidelines found in the Commonwealth publication, Designing and Constructing Municipal Facilities.

Advertise in local papers and the Central Register.

Hold briefing session in library to which all potential applicants are invited. Describe Library Building Program needs and answer questions. Avoid private sessions with individual architects and make sure that all architects have equal access to project information.

Talk with directors and visit libraries designed by architects who apply for contract.

Retain A.I.A. certified Massachusetts registered architect using selection procedures required by the Massachusetts Designer Selection Board. This needs to be done even if yours is a private library.

Conduct architectural feasibility study on present building and alternative sites including schematic drawings, cost estimates, and conformity to service needs as outlined in Building Program statement.

Carefully review feasibility study in relation to library's long-range plan and library Building Program. Have architect revise study if it is not satisfactory.

Decide which alternative outlined in study is best. If land purchase or transfer is necessary, complete this before moving on to next step.

Gather members for a Construction Committee to oversee next phase of project.

Work With Your Architect: Before Groundbreaking

Select project architect following same selection procedures as for feasibility study. If you choose to continue with the same architect, your initial ad and RFQ must have included this option and an independent design evaluation must be done.

Proceed with design development and final cost estimates. Meet with the architect as these are developed to clarify any issues. Review completed plans to see if they fulfill the requirements of the Library Building Program Statement. Review them with MBLC staff to determine if the plans indicate appropriate spatial and functional relationships as well as intended compliance with access and other regulations.

Use cost estimates to determine amounts necessary for total project. Include an inflationary figure and contingency funding. Secure local appropriations. Notify Fundraising Committee of total dollar amount needed to be raised.

Develop working drawings and bid/contract documents.

Implement public bidding process and select contractors.

Complete pre-construction conferences and negotiations. Sign contracts.

Hold groundbreaking ceremony with much hoopla and publicity.

Work With Your Architect: After Groundbreaking

Appoint one person to be construction liaison: library director, trustee, or chairperson of the building committee. Make sure that this person is willing to be an active, equal partner with architect and contractors. If at all possible hire a project manager with construction experience to oversee whole project.

Establish procedures for handling communications, change orders, reporting, and payments between construction liaison, architect, contractors, municipality, and MBLC.

Obtain commitment from architect that s/he will provide adequate architectural and technical assistance throughout the term of the project.

Determine in advance those aspects of the project that cannot be altered and remain firm on these. Carefully assess how any other changes suggested by architect or contractor will alter Building Program, provision of services, or general library functioning.

When nearing completion, a "punch list" should be compiled to target problem areas that still need resolution.

Accept the completed facility after inspections and an occupancy permit is granted.

Establish a building maintenance schedule.

Hold a Grand Opening to celebrate and thank the many people who have been involved in the project. Make sure you invite anyone who has helped your project in any way, no matter how small. Be gracious to all those who want to participate in your celebration. Mail the invitations in a timely manner.