Rhinelander District Library leaders are out in the community talking about the need for more space.
The library would like to upgrade from the current 15,000 square feet to 27,000 at the current property on Stevens Street. Library Director Virginia Roberts says things have changed since the Carnegie library was built...
".....nobody could have envisioned 110 years ago when they started fundraising and building this library that we were going to put in instant access to the internet. That we were going to be adding movies, audio, that we would have an art book collection...."
She says the children's library has grown to nearly the size of the adult section. The building has energy efficiency problems, along with lack of workspace and a growing demand for internet-related work, and a shortage of meeting space. Library Board President Jan Baer says they' re packed beyond capacity most business days..
".....we're busier than ever. People depend on the library for their technology access. We're busier than ever, circulation is up...."
The library averages about 500 patrons a day, making it the busiest community public building. More than 184,000 materials were borrowed from the library collection, with public computers used more than 14,000 times in 2015.
Roberts says one example of the space and equipment shortage happens each school day...
"...if you come at 3 in the afternoon you will see the race from the schools, it's really something to see. There's no less than 50 kids running down there trying to get on now five working computers..."
Baer says the estimated cost is $7 million, including a one million dollar start fund for the first five years of operations. Baer says they want to fund the entire project with private donations...
"....once we get the word out and the public gets informed about what the library does, they will get behind that fundraising project. We're hoping to do this without tax dollars. We know our taxpayers are heavily burdened and we don't want to add to that burden...."
The cornerstone for the current library was laid in 1903.
