Nahant panel plans for library renovations

NAHANT-Planning and feasibility studies for the proposed library renovation project are moving forward.The Library Planning Committee received Community Preservation Act funds to develop a long-term plan for the library.Library Trustee John Welsh serves on the Library Planning Committee, along with Betsy Wachtel, Nancy Whitman and Christine Stevens. That committee recently appointed a feasibility committee, which has already started meeting.The state program, similar to its school building program, funds library expansions and renovations but state mandates govern the process. The deadline for the next round of funding from the state is Oct. 15, which the Library Planning Committee decided might be unrealistic.?It really is a complex process to get funding,” Wachtel said. “We are going to move ahead and get ready to apply for the next cycle of funding. There are a lot of state requirements to apply for funding and we want to make sure things are done right.”Librarian Dan deStefano said the committees are making process.?The committee is getting ready to submit five-year strategic plan to Board of Library Commissions,” deStefano said. “It is also obligated to submit a one-year action plan along with it in order to get funding. I am hopeful the plans could be brought before the town and the Board of Library Commissioners within a couple of years.”DeStefano said the Board of Library Commissioners is attempting to fast track the Nahant project due to the tremendous need. He pointed out the Nahant Public Library was founded in 1819 and it is the third oldest public library in the state. He said the library was actually built in the late 1890s and has undergone few changes since it was constructed.?There is a tremendous need to upgrade the library,” he said. “It cannot serve a modern population as it is right now. There is no air conditioning and we had to shut down all our computers a couple of days (last week) because the computers were overheating.”In December, the Library Planning Committee asked town residents to fill out a library expansion survey to see what changes the library patrons would like to see.Many individuals responding to the survey indicated a larger selection of books, computer access and improved lighting should be priorities for the library.Other priorities cited by residents included membership in North of Boston Library Exchange (Noble Net), which was founded to improve library services through automation and the sharing of resources.