Alex+Klein-Conrad-Proposal

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**Proposal for New Library**
=For Galaxy Minnesota, 67765= Submitted by     Alex Klein-Conrad 15 April 2012 April 15, 2012

Gary Lindoff, Mayor Galaxy, MN City Council and Library Committee City Hall 123 Main Street Galaxy, MN 67765

Dear Mr. Lindoff, Council and committee members:

Submitted for your review is our proposal regarding the construction of a new locally based library. This document is in response to the recent loss of our old library facility and proposes the building of a larger library with additional wings and extra space for a future county museum.

Within our report you will find all secondary materials as well as additional information per your requests:


 * Building Specifics
 * Construction costs and time bids
 * Both library and museum blueprints and diagrams
 * Insurance Claims and budget constraints
 * Maintenance and user costs
 * Pros and cons of construction

Thank you for your interest in our report. We look forward to working with you and finalizing all details when necessary and will discuss at our next town meeting to confirm the arrangements.

Sincerely,

// Alex Klein-Conrad //

Alex Klein-Conrad

Enclosed: Library Proposal Table of Contents __Abstract __4__ __Introduction­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­_________________________________________________________5 & 6__


 * Purpose


 * Problem

__Discussion____________________________________________________ 7, 8 & 9__


 * Solution
 * Lending Agreements
 * Training Purposes
 * Design Features
 * Construction Costs
 * Library add-ons
 * County museum
 * Maintenance and upkeep
 * Funding
 * Insurance Claims
 * Public Funding and budget
 * State and Federal Funding

__Conclusion _10__


 * County Museum/Library Benefits


 * Personal Recommendation

__Works Cited _11__

Diagrams:
Diagram 1__Best thing about visiting Museums________________________ ________ 6__ Blueprint 1 __Floor Plan for level 1 7__ Diagram 2__General Maintenance Costs_____________________________ ___ ____ 8__ Abstract Galaxy Minnesota will be improved both fiscally and historically by the addition of a larger Public Library and a County Museum. With funding through the Insurance claims, Admission fees and a slight Public tax raise; this can all be accomplished.

Introduction Purpose:

This is a proposal to provide a new local Public Library with a County Museum connected. The new library would be larger in scope and practice than our last library that we lost. With a County Museum, we will be able to preserve our local histories and the building will also become a good source of revenue for the community.

Problem:

//Public Access//

Providing a means of public access to the peoples of galaxy would be very beneficial. With not just books being provided, the new library will have Internet access hubs as well as multiple research and periodical choices. The new library will benefit all citizens, not just book lovers, with more space for presentations and events; the library will now be able to cater all situations.

//Reference Materials//

The library will offer many reference essentials including: faxing, copying, printing, periodical, magazine, and newspaper access. With having all of these items in one space, and charging a small fee, you will end up saving many people money thus making them come back again and again.

//Community jobs//

With the addition of so many new features and space, additional employees are necessary. The library may become a staple in the community not only through itself, but also offering many people employment in many areas. Through the library itself, we would need: cashiers, stockers, customer service agents, technical support and of course librarians. Then additional employees would include maintenance, reference agents, managers, custodians and even groundskeepers.

//Steady revenue//

A library and museum are a low addition, cost effective way to gain revenue. It is much cheaper to rent something then buy it full out, that is why many patrons will turn to the library to acquire any new items they desire instead of buying them from local stores. By charging a small monthly fee or perhaps a renter’s fee, the library itself will be able to gain its own revenue. With the addition of a County Museum, that revenue stream will only increase, by changing exhibits and offering different programs the museum itself may in fact support itself and the library.

//Educational Perks//

The new library will now offer many new types of activities and programs designed solely around children. If children become interested in the library, this will offer an entire family experience the facility can provide. With many educational options, any child can come to the library not just for books but also interactive story times or perhaps storybook theme days.

//Historical Prevalence//

The benefit of a local County Museum is extravagant. The exhibits give people a hands-on approach to local history tours and makes learning fun. They offer many exploration opportunities to learn about how the city and landmarks came to be. Why spend money on material items when you could spend time learning about your local artifacts and spending time with your children and family? Discussion Solution:

//Lending possibilities//

A library typically does not own many of its features, many are borrowed lent by authors or donated. Through this way the library will receive most of its items without influencing costs.

//Training purposes//

Since this is such a large expansion, it would become beneficial to bring in some Public based experts to train staff and benefactors in how we shall proceed with the library project. How to run the library, employee requirements, technical services, issues with vendors, are all things that are required to maintain a functioning library and museum.

//Design features//

The finished library will become a bi level building with computers and classrooms based on the first floor and the resource center and books upstairs along with amphitheaters and lecture rooms located along the East and West walls. The museum will be located off of the North wall on the first floor and have its own section solely.

Costs:

//Building costs//

Reed Construction has offered the cheapest materials of steel frames with outer brick and concrete paneling around for $95.62 a square foot for just the outer construction and professed a timeline of five years as the total timeline from start to finish for the end product of a 22,000 square foot library with Museum attached. This will bring the total dollar amount after architecture and contractor fees to almost $3,000,000. Although massively over budget, this will allow the building to become mortgaged off and not paid fully for many years.

//Maintenance fees//

The cost of maintaining a building varies greatly, but a few factors must be considered: utilities, grounds keeping, parking, security, safety items. A typical building has a median price of 2 dollars per square foot that it costs to keep everything in good order. A library besides computers, has very low maintenance costs, but will have to spend more on security measures once completed. Below is a graph which charts typical customer ratings per the cost of maintaining a typical corporate building.

Funding:

//Insurance Claims//

The community recently had its last library burn to the ground. Luckily, insurance will provide a hefty sum of $190,000 to begin the process of rebuilding the public library. This initial funding will jumpstart the project and should pay for the proposing, designing and initial bidding of the library and museum alike.

//Public Funding and Budget//

The city council, after the initial bidding process, has agreed to pay an extra $60,000 to pay for initial materials. Even without the full project paid off, the initial sum will be enough for Reed Construction to begin laying the foundations of the two buildings.

//State and Federal Funding//

This brings the total project to 1/8th fully paid off. The rest of the property can become paid off through Federal funding and a slight increase of city or state taxes. Over the course of the five year timeline, even a slight increase to taxes should easily pay up to half the project. After taxes, a Federal grant of $1,500,000 will pay for the rest of the building and the revenue stream from both the library and the museum will pay back the grant itself.

Conclusion County Museum/Library Benefits

With the library available, people will have multiple places to access information, essential office supplies, and reference materials. There are also many educational and community based perks which people can enjoy with a modest price. With the larger expansion, the library will become a staple in the community offering brand new jobs to many people.

The museum will offer family time and excitement to its local citizens and provide many historical features to the Galaxy community. Designed around family, the museum itself will cater to many different levels and ages and the benefits and knowledge patrons will walk away with is endless.

The benefits of bestowing these staples to the community are quite apparent, even after the initial costs and balances are summed together, the choices are quite clear.

Recommendation

I recommend starting a five year, three million dollar contract with Reed Construction. The end project consisting of a two story public library with county based museum attached off of the first floor’s North side wall. This project will be paid in parts by insurance claims, federal grants, state taxes, and City Council’s annual budgets.


 * Works Cited**

[]

//Reed construction//. (2008). Retrieved from []

//Ignite your..self//. (05/2). Retrieved from []

Reames, P. A. (n.d.). //The educational benefits of the public library//. Retrieved from []

Issues, F. ( 2009, January). //Fm link//. Retrieved from http://www.fmlink.com/article.cgi?type=Benchmarking&title=Benchmarking Your Maintenance Costs&pub=Facility Issues&id=40555&mode=source

//Wikipedia//. (19 N). Retrieved from []

//The Best Thing about a Visit to a Zoo//. Digital image. //Word Press//. Colleen Dillan, Feb. 2012. Web. 27 Apr. 2012. .