September 30, 2011

RAYMOND LIBRARY TOUR HIGHLIGHTS CRAMPED SPACE
Officials Seeking $3 Million For Expansion

Officials gathered Thursday at Raymond Library to look at plans for expanding the East Hartford facility. Inspecting the plans are (from left) state Sen. Gary LeBeau, Senate President Pro Tempore Don Williams, Library Director Patrick Jones, Mayor Marcia Leclerc and Rep. Henry Genga. (Hartford Courant photo)

By Melissa Traynor, Hartford Courant

EAST HARTFORD —— Local officials and legislators toured the Raymond Library Thursday morning, pointing out cramped computer stations, a lower stairwell where book donation boxes are piled up and other examples of how a big community's library operates in a small space.

Library Director Patrick Jones said the town wants to double the library's 17,900-square-foot space.

The project has been in the works for years — plans were drawn up in 2007 — but funding for the $6 million expansion is still needed.

Mayor Marcia Leclerc said that the town bonded about $2 million and received a $1 million construction grant from the Connecticut State Library.

Local legislators, such as Sen. Gary LeBeau and Rep. Henry Genga, who were part of the small tour group Thursday, said they would like to see the remaining $3 million included in a state bond package.

They invited Senate President Pro Tem Donald Williams on the tour to discuss East Hartford's needs and take a look at plans for the proposed "shovel-ready" expansion, which they say will create up to 400 construction jobs and some permanent library staff positions.

At the beginning of the tour, Jones gestured toward the computer work area, where every terminal was in use except for a few computers with "out of order" signs taped over the monitors.

"We've reached a saturation point. If we can expand this facility, it will bring us to the next level," Jones said, adding that they'd like to have more physical space, digital capabilities and archives.

Current plans call for the library building to be expanded to take over about two thirds of its parking lot to the east, to create a three-story building. Construction would last between six months and a year, Jones said.

"It seems to me that is makes perfect sense to have a significant change here to accommodate the town… We'll see what we can do," Williams said.