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New Jackson County library designs are unique But all seven buildings will share certain features By DANI DODGE A year after voters passed a $38.9 million library bond, seven new library building designs are already under way in Jackson County. One library, in White City, has even broken ground. "You will notice these libraries are all different from each other," said County Library Director Ronnie Budge. "We aren't designing cookie-cutter libraries. "And although each of the libraries is unique, you will see some common elements in them." On May 16, 2000, 59 percent of voters approved the library bond measure to rebuild or expand all the libraries in the county. Supporters of the library bond not only got the majority vote but also successfully rallied the community enough to get more than 50 percent of the voters to bring in their ballots in an off-election - something necessary for the bond to pass. Since that vote, librarians, architects and county officials have been holding public meetings in the communities slated for the first new and expanded libraries: White City, Jacksonville, Rogue River, Ruch, Applegate, Ashland and Medford. The rest of the expansions will follow and the first seven are on their way. At a meeting Wednesday, Commissioner Sue Kupillas praised the "wonderful progress." "I know that people have been spending time in the communities to make sure the libraries meet the needs of the people in those communities," Kupillas said. For example, the design for the Applegate branch is much more down-home than the more modernistic lines of the White City library. "The (Applegate branch) has a more rural character than the White City branch," Budge said. "That's because of the community input." But all the libraries are being built with comfortable community meeting rooms that people can get to, even when the library is closed. Specifically, here's what's happening at the communities libraries. White City : The new library will be at 24th Street and Avenue C next to the Rogue Family Center. The size is increasing from 2,100 square feet in the old building to 6,500 square feet. The library will have a vaulted ceiling and a magnificent view of Mount McLoughlin. It is expected to be completed in late August. Jacksonville : The new library, which will be four times as big as the old one, will be built behind the U.S. West building between Highway 238 and the city parking lot. It will have a meeting room that will accommodate 100 people. Completion is expected in September 2002. Rogue River : The expansion at 412 E. Main St. will triple the space for books and patrons. It should be completed in September 2002. Ruch : Instead of being in the leaky basement of a strip mall, the new library will be set on a hill among tall trees on Highway 238 next to Ruch Elementary School. This library will have extra amenities such as a bigger meeting room because of a wildly successful community fund drive. Projected completion: September 2002. Ashland : The expansion of Ashland's library will mean a new building being attached to the old Carnegie Library at Siskiyou Boulevard and Gresham Street. Groundbreaking is set for late May or early June. The winning construction bid is scheduled to be announced today. Medford : The new Medford library will be on the city block between Central and Riverside avenues, Ninth and 10th streets, where Guthrie Motors is now. It will be the joint library headquarters for Rogue Community College and the county and will include a gourmet coffee shop just inside its doors. Completion: fall or winter 2003. For more information on the community libraries call Library Director Ronnie Budge at 774-6401, or check out information on each library at www.rebuildourlibraries.org on the Web. To reach reporter Dani Dodge call 776-4471, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.