All over the country people are getting closer to their public libraries. Why isn’t our library closer to us? Here is some special commentary for OpenCdA:
Hello OpenCDA
As you are aware, I have been absolutely opposed to the placing of our only city library at the farthest reaches of the population centers of Coeur d’ Alene. While I applaud the new library and most likely the resounding success that it has had so far, these decisions for major changes are only the correct decisions if the long view is taken.
Libraries are experiencing a resurgence in America these past months. Citizens who are feeling the crushing burdens of oil and food prices have been forced cancel their home subscriptions and use public facilities like libraries. The rationale is that it is relatively free and easily accessible for themselves and their children…..”my kids can walk to the library”
Our new library was sited at the farthest point from the population of our town and miles away from normal shopping and travel patterns of the average family in the city. This decision to site the library, I believe and will always believe, was a political decision to prop up the old downtown at a time when the downtown was suffering and the stakeholders who owned property in that core were determined to grab any anchor they could to keep their property values from further decaying. Luckily for them, the worm has turned for now and the downtown has become prosperous again.
Now, when the families of Coeur d’ Alene need to turn to the library for their needs, they are forced to drive long distances to even get to the place. It is so important for decision makers to put aside their personal agendas and take a long view of what is best for everyone in making such an important choice as choosing the proper site for a public facility as the library.
steve badraun
Nicely done, Steve. I agree with you on the reason the library was located downtown, which was to benefit the merchants downtown, not to best serve the public.
At the time that decision was being made, the Spokesman Review quoted city councilman Ron Edinger as saying: “The problem is the agency never asked the public. Edinger pointed out that the city had promised to hold a public hearing before going forward with any part of a master plan …” But there was no public hearing. “If you took a vote of the people, I’d say a majority don’t want (the library) downtown”, Edinger said.
Here is the column I wrote on the issue: http://www.thecityspulse.com/19.html
And my response editorial to the nasty letter from the Library Foundation here: http://www.thecityspulse.com/Editorials/Ed_Polite_Public_Conversation.html
Comment by mary — August 3, 2008 @ 9:16 am
Oh, the dogs will have their day with this one. But folks, it’s not about this Library or the concept of Libraries at all. The problem is the process. Our City government favors a process that is sneaky, avoids any and all public input, and which doesn’t allow opposing points of view without personal attack.
This culture of intimidation, disrespect for the public, and above all of secrecy in government must stop in Coeur d’Alene. It’s not the results I oppose, it is the process.
Comment by Dan — August 3, 2008 @ 9:25 am
Last night I watched a rerun of the 7-15-08 City Council meeting where the presentation was made for a new jail. Mayor Bloem mentioned that it took longer than anticipated, due to so many Q & Q from council members, BUT the more information the public has, the easier it is to make a decision. Too bad this wasn’t the thinking on the new library or the Education Corridor.
Comment by reddy — August 3, 2008 @ 10:00 am
I will have to disagree to the statement that it was for the merchants downtown. Most are small business owners that are renting their space. Key word is “renting”. I believe it was for the “stakeholders” that own those rental buildings along with the old and new over priced towers.
I think it will be even more sad to be looking out of that all glass south western side of the library so see a new multistory parking structure instead of the beautiful lake.
Poor planning? Stupidity? Or just “stakeholders” capitalizing at the taxpayers expense?
AGAIN!
Comment by concerned citizen — August 3, 2008 @ 11:22 am
Gosh, I love the location of the new library! Living south of town, across the Spokane River it is very convenient. It was very thoughtful of CdA to build a wonderful library so convenient for the southern Kootenai County residents. We appreciate not paying for it. In all fairness, we county residents strongly supported expanding our county library north of town that obviously services CdA people to the north.
Comment by Mama Bear — August 3, 2008 @ 3:33 pm
The decision to build the library downtown was to benefit the downtown businesses. Current city planning includes filling up the downtown area with residents who will support the downtown corridor during the slow seasons. It is that simple.
Comment by LTR — August 3, 2008 @ 8:03 pm
Fill the downtown area with residents? The type of people the city wants to attract are the ones that come into town one or two weeks out of the year. I really doubt this would support the downtown for the whole year.
Comment by concerned citizen — August 4, 2008 @ 11:02 am
I don’t think the Library was necessary for CdA’s downtown, though I agree it’s probably why that site was chosen. Local families with small children are not the target market for the upscale downtown merchants. Now they have to drive through downtown traffic to get to the library.
Likewise, baseball families are not the target market either but you can bet McEuen Field will change dramatically in the next couple of years. Big buildings will go up on Front street overlooking the park, so McEuen will need to have radical cosmetic surgery. Out with the baseball fields and the already defunct tennis courts, In with the parking garage, another band shell and gathering areas. All very nice. All at our expense but without our approval.
Comment by mary — August 4, 2008 @ 11:14 am
Since all changes to the use of McEuen field are required to be consistent with the purpose of a park; what plans have been drafted which will affect this gem of our community? I read and hear about proposals. Where can I find them to review?
Comment by doubleseetripleeye — August 4, 2008 @ 11:31 am
it is hard to argue that the library is in the wrong location when its usage has skyrocketed since its opening. along the same lines, businesses at the silver lake mall, to the north where it is argued that all the growth is occurring, continue to struggle and close, while new business continue to open downtown and in riverstone. i use the library on a weekly basis and it is not filled with tourists or the wealthy, so i guess they old people and children i see there must be locals.
Comment by reagan — August 4, 2008 @ 12:03 pm
btw, there is nor ‘traffic’ downtown. seattle has traffic, coeur d alene does not.;0
Comment by reagan — August 4, 2008 @ 12:04 pm
Don’t confuse the need with the location. Until they do a survey asking people (like they should have before the thing was built), you cannot say “it’s hard to argue.” It’s easy to argue when no one knows. Yet, it’s truly hard to argue that the public was shut out of the process in the decision.
Comment by Dan — August 4, 2008 @ 12:34 pm
I have read with interest all of your comments.
From my perspective, because the library was so poorly sited for geographic access to the the major populations of its citizens, It might well become in the years ahead for the taxpayers of city “a bridge to nowhere” I understand that it is truly hard to conceive of that fact with the resounding success of the library so far, but it is a long row of corn and success must be measured in long term library history in that location.
Siting of the library in the old downtown rewarded many groups of people; the property owners of the downtown, the new developers in that area who could show the new vibrant services offered to prospective clients, the merchants who may or may not get a boost with mothers who make the drive in their direction for the library services for their children, and last but not least, the city of Coeur d’ Alene who could see an expansion of related services near the doors of their city hall. The only people who did not share in the reward were the mothers and fathers of families who lived so far away and have to make the up to 10 mile round trip to pick up a book or work on a computer.
If a library is seen as a a thing of beauty and awe with shiny pillars gleaming in the morning sun, I say placing it on this site was perfectly correct. However, if a library is a daily or weekly tool for the people of Coeur d’ Alene, then it it is of utmost and primary importance that it needed to be located and accessable to the largest number of people who need it for the longest length of time.
I believe that there were too many political forces pulling at the library decision makers to site the library where it is and that unwise decision will severly limited its long term effectiveness over time.
Looking into the future, what will happen to the library? Perhaps I am completely off base and it will flourish forever. I rather suspect however, that quietly there will be a movement to develop a second library location in an area near the major populations. The draw of the library in the old downtown will decrease gradually. Then another plan, perhaps a plan all along will be put into effect; to move city offices into that building and expand the city hall building complex.
It is interesting that the educational corridor concept is following that same path. The same question can be asked: who would accept the notion that this great vision of an educational anchor for North Idaho be placed on such a limited amount of land and with such poor accessibility for the people who need the educational opportunities? Could the educational corridor plan be another “bridge to nowhere”?
Comment by steve badraun — August 4, 2008 @ 12:49 pm
Of course, the library is a resounding success right now. Everybody wants to see the new novelty in town.
Let me give you a perspective on my library use right now.When the old library,which was located on Harrison
for around 25 years was open,I would frequent it about 20 times a year.
Today,since the new library opened last fall,I’ve been down there once and that was only to get some autographed copies of Scott Reeds new book.
So,my library usage is way down.I live on the Northern side of town and would rather go to the Library in Hayden right now.
I find reagan’s perspective on the traffic in this area funny.In 1980 it would take me only 5 or 6 minutes to drive from Hayden to CDA.
Today,if I’m lucky, I could make that trip in 15 minutes.That’s my perspective.
Comment by kageman — August 4, 2008 @ 1:30 pm
Simple geometry will show anyone that the new library sits at the perimeter of the city limits furthest away from those who need its services the most. A reasonable pair of eyes will confirm that access to the library is limited by a sizable body of water. If not so located would it be even more successful than it claims to be now? Is success to be measured in foot traffic or improved student performance?
As to the subject of traffic I agree with reagan. CdA still sits below any measure of unruly traffic, so far. The idea is to not let it get that way. Continuing to pile up vital functions downtown will eventually lead to gridlock situations. Combine early AM work traffic with 15,000 students trying to make classes on time. Already traffic is becoming sluggish and compared to simpler times many feel it is already out of control.
True gridlock means sitting through 4 or 5 green lights before you can proceed through an intersection only to idle on to, and wait, at the next signal. It means traffic signals at freeway on ramps. It means reserved parking spaces at $200 per month or you don’t park. It adds 2 hours to each day and eats up car engines like candy.
Comment by Wallypog — August 4, 2008 @ 2:06 pm
traffic in CDA is getting bad. northwest blvd and ironwood during peak hours are traffic.
libraries are in a death spiral just as newspapers are. they are now places for d.o.m. to get their porn fix and for homeschoolers to get schoolbooks.
Comment by TheWiz — August 4, 2008 @ 5:18 pm
Interesting. I would agree that many people use the library for Internet access, but that doesn’t make the Library less valuable. It merely shows that our library is smart enough to adapt. It’s actually quite clever and I give librarian Bette Ammon credit for it.
Comment by Dan — August 4, 2008 @ 6:24 pm
The Wiz: I’m sorry, what’s “d.o.m.”?
Comment by mary — August 4, 2008 @ 6:27 pm
Dirty Old Men
Comment by Dan — August 4, 2008 @ 6:46 pm
how much money do we spend so that dirty old men can view porn in the safety of a government building? why can’t they get their own internet account? libraries are dying. when did free internet become a public good that we all get to pay for?
Comment by TheWiz — August 4, 2008 @ 6:51 pm
Wow, I am waaay too naive. I thought it was “down on (their) money”.
Comment by mary — August 4, 2008 @ 6:53 pm
the DOM use our money to surf the net for porn. Visit the library. Print the browser history. wear gloves.
Comment by TheWiz — August 4, 2008 @ 7:00 pm
Hey, the library is great for the southern part of Kootenai County! Thank you again, CdA taxpayer, for providing us with a fine convenient library.
Comment by Mama Bear — August 4, 2008 @ 7:12 pm
Ponder this: If someone in authority could answer a question as to why the city decided to site the Police Department at the Ramsy/Kathleen hood, then the question goes begging as to why the library should not have been sited with the same criteria.
Comment by Gary Ingram — August 4, 2008 @ 9:41 pm
dan is correct that the library is smart in adapting to the internet as an information provider. ‘free internet’ is no different than free books and free newspapers, the public good is in providing free and accessible information to the citizens.
Comment by reagan — August 4, 2008 @ 10:50 pm
what public good exists in giving the DOM crowd free porn?
Comment by TheWiz — August 5, 2008 @ 6:29 am
I doubt that the design of the library could easily be adapted to office space. The $100,000 council meeting room is poorly designed with little or no thought as to the requirements of the room. This is an example of poor interior planning.
Comment by Susie Snedaker — August 5, 2008 @ 6:43 am
“what public good exists in giving the DOM crowd free porn”.?
Comment by TheWiz — August 5, 2008 @ 6:29 am
Not every middle-aged or old guy is looking at porn,on the internet,at the library.So,what are we to do;not have the internet at the library, because of a few dom’s?That’s not fair for the rest of the people.
The internet is a great tool for doing research,in a very short period of time.I just wish,I could of used the internet when I was in H.S.,I was almost middle-aged when I went online.
I have a problem with what LCDC paid for the land that the library sits on,as a blogger once indicated on his blog.It was probably the most expensive lot in the county.
Doesn’t Charlie Nipp,the chairman of LCDC own land in the area?It could have boosted the value of his land.
Comment by kageman — August 5, 2008 @ 9:34 am
The library property appraisal was utterly bogus. They compared bare land to land with a building on it, a dissimilar comparison. It was a joke. Then they added $30,000 to the “value” of the land because you’d have to knock the building down to make it a bare land/bare land comparison. That the City Council bought this appraisal shows that they lack both accountability and rational thought.
The property appraisal for the Kroc Center was similarly fishy. There were two appraisals done, one in 2002 and the other 18 months later in 2004. They were “best use” appraisals that were full of maybe/what if/could type of arguments. Bogus.
Now we sit and eagerly await the Education Corridor appraisal.
Comment by Dan — August 5, 2008 @ 9:51 am
I recall NIC Trustee Judy Meyer saying at the NIC information forum way last May, I think it was, that the appraisal on the DeArmond Mill would be completed very soon. We are now into August, and the appraisal has not surfaced. What’s the hang up? Is it not coming in at the price they want/need to justify the expenditure?
Comment by mary — August 5, 2008 @ 10:02 am
24. Ponder this: If someone in authority could answer a question as to why the city decided to site the Police Department at the Ramsy/Kathleen hood, then the question goes begging as to why the library should not have been sited with the same criteria.
Comment by Gary Ingram — August 4, 2008 @ 9:41 pm
Gary,
I am not a city leader but I can tell you the City of Coeur d’Alene wanted the Police Station to be centrally located and that is why the Kathleen Ave. site was chosen. The decision to build the library downtown was to attract more residents to the new condos who in return will spend their money in the downtown corridor. The city and downtown leaders have always discussed how to have a healthy downtown area year around.
Comment by LTR — August 8, 2008 @ 10:08 pm
So, LTR, what you seem to be saying is that the Library was used as an “economic tool” to promote downtown rather than putting it in the best spot to service the most citizens as a library.
That also seems to be exactly what’s happening with the Education Corridor.
Comment by mary — August 9, 2008 @ 8:44 am
Mary,
Yes to Comment 32.
Comment by LTR — August 9, 2008 @ 10:59 am