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"A city with a great library is a great city.” That slogan, taken from the Nashville Public Library, also holds a great deal of relevance for Cheyenne.

As the Laramie County Library System Board of Directors endeavor to gain inclusion on the next capital facilities ballot for an improved library facility, these words convey a special meaning to me. We continue to work diligently on this project and, judging by the continued media exposure and word of mouth around town, it seems to be something on the community's collective mind as well.

Just last year, the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle allowed readers to vote on the top ten stories of 2000, and one of the nominees was our attempt to locate a new building after we were unable to secure the former Montgomery Ward facility and decided to remove ourselves from the capital facilities ballot. Within the last month, a number of letters to the editor have appeared in this publication regarding a possible new library location, with most of the focus on a move to the depot building downtown. In addition, chances are strong that you can find a library staff member who has received comments from patrons who believe that the existing locale is simply too crowded.

Without discussing the potential pros and cons of any location, it is heartening to see that the residents of the county understand the need for growth from the current facility.

With little relief in sight for a few more years, space will continue to be at a crucial premium within the Laramie County Library of the Laramie County Library System. The board of directors is responsible for finding a way to either improve the space at the current location, finding an existing location that will suit our needs, or directing the creation of a new facility. Throughout this process, we will regularly entreat input from you—the citizens of Laramie County—regarding your likes, dislikes, suggestions, and ideas about the facility. This is your library!

In our research to this point, one issue is abundantly clear: this is one of the most difficult, contentious decisions that your library board will ever face. Although it is impossible to satisfy everyone's appeals, we will strive to ensure that the community believes we made the right choice for both the library and Laramie County.

So what exactly do we have planned? Plenty! Let me explain the process we will use. To begin, the board has compiled a preliminary list of criteria for selecting potential sites throughout the area. The criteria cover a spectrum of needs for a future library, including price, location, availability, accessibility, size, and suitability. Our Facilities Advisory Committee (FAC) will review this list and offer the information to the public for comment through a series of public meetings focusing solely on criteria for locating a site. We feel it imperative to balance local desires and opinions with the advice of experts in this field.

These meetings will also afford us an opportunity to fully explain the criteria and the ranking process, and to seek your opinions on these very topics. Even at this relatively early stage, we have received and incorporated suggestions from the public on both selection criteria and potential library sites. Once the public meetings are completed, the FAC will provide the board with their recommendation of criteria to be used. Following board approval, we will communicate the criteria to the public.

Next, the board will create a list of potential library locations. The list will be given to the FAC, which will maintain a record of these, and any new sites procured through citizens' suggestions. Once a complete list is prepared, the committee will rank the sites based on the selected criteria. It is our opinion, based on others' similar experience, that the cream will rise to the top. That is, a small number of sites (usually between 3-6) will have a much higher score than the others.

After board approval, the FAC will conduct a methodical examination of these sites, including a focus on the critical minutiae. After completion of the committee's work, the board will again present this information to you at discussions and forums designed to obtain your feedback. Once the board believes that all perspectives have received fair consideration, we will begin our deliberations to produce the best possible solution for all involved.

Although the ultimate decision-making responsibility for the site selection rests in the board's hands, we want to work cooperatively and communicate openly with the community to find the optimal locale for the Laramie County Library. There are some voices in the community that question whether the library needs more space. In response to that thinking, I must commend the library staff for their tireless efforts in rearranging, reorganizing, and continually working to mask the crowded conditions. However, such conditions cannot be masked indefinitely.

People who question the growth of the library need look no further than some examples of the enhancements we have made: the highly successful children's and young adult programs, more Internet computers with improved access, the ongoing development of our audio-visual collection, the frequent use of our meeting room facilities, and the regular need to augment our expansive book collections.

However, these developments have not come without a few growing pains. Seating can be difficult to find, especially for children doing homework on weekends. Walkways have become more narrow and less straight, making it difficult for people with strollers or people with disabilities. As hard as we try to improve Internet facilities, we always seem to have a waiting list for people to use the terminals. The parking situation, especially during special programs, can make it difficult for patrons to access the building conveniently and/or safely. The shelving in our fiction collection can be highly inconvenient to maneuver through because we simply have so many books and so little space—and that is with one-third of our collection checked out at any time!

These examples cannot give you the whole picture, but the need for more space remains a vital reality for library patrons and staff. Our plan will provide Laramie County with a wonderful and spacious library facility.

This must be a community goal. Although the board is charged with making a final decision, we believe our choice must reflect the citizen's needs and wants, while being fiscally responsible. A city with a great library really is a great city.

Sharyn Guthridge, Chair Laramie County Library System Board of Directors Email: chairman@larm.lib.wy.us

Editorial by
Sharyn Guthridge
Chair, LCLS System Board