The new library hasn’t been built yet, but the plans for it are coming together.
During the Aug. 19 Library Advisory Board meeting, Tammi Moe, Octavia Fellin Public Library’s deputy director, reminded the board about the planning method she proposed at a previous meeting — “The New Planning for Results: A Streamlined Approach,” written by Sandra Nelson and published by the Public Library Association.
In an interview with the Sun, Moe said public libraries have used the model since the ‘90s. She said the model is not just theoretical. It is meant for real world application.
The first step in the method is to form a planning committee. It will be the committee’s job to determine the community’s vision and identify its needs.
The method which once had 23 steps, has combined some of the planning tasks to reduce the number to a total of 12. It includes an information-gathering toolkit for performing research and using customer surveys to provide a responsive level of service.
Moe said the program estimates it will take four to five months to complete the process.
Once it is complete, the building will begin, but first, the library will need to figure out what the community needs out of a new library.
“The OFPL team and the Library Advisory Board are excited to partner with the community as we envision a new model of library services that are unique, and then ultimately build a sustainable, green library, in the heart of Gallup,” Moe stated.
On the topic of the green library, Moe said lowering the library’s ecological footprint is a goal for the board members and for community members.
“It might be a factor in selecting an architect to work on the design,” Moe said
The location is Gallup-owned property just north of the railroad tracks, and south of Maxwell, between Second Street and Third Street.
Moe told the Sun, the relocation of the libraries will not begin until there is a consensus on the design, and the money to move forward has been raised.
By: Molly Howell
Sun Correspondent
