Voters approved the Specific Purpose Excise Tax (SPET) May 4, 2010. The library has received its $295,000, its portion of the tax. The library projects on the ballot included a new security and circulation system, parking lot improvements, restroom upgrades, microfilm equipment, carpeting, and computer system upgrades. Unfortunately there were some cost increases for the projects since the original estimates in 2008 and 2009, but the State Land and Investment Board is providing additional funding for the parking lot and the public restrooms. The library and public are benefiting from the tax in several ways.
ADA compliant restrooms for the public are complete. For the first time, there is hot water in both restrooms and shelves in the stalls. This project costs $20,049. The State Land and Investment Board provided $13,750 of the cost. Marshall Contracting was the successful bidder.
The computer system upgrades had several parts. The library's servers are now in a spacious air-conditioned room of their own, away from the boiler, hot water heater, air handling unit, and floor drain. Arcon built the server room. In addition, the Specific Purpose Excise Tax purchased new servers for the server room, new software and new computers for the public, and upgraded the wireless equipment. Lewan supplied most of the equipment. Expenses for the server room and upgrades totaled $81,195.22.
We now have a new microfilm/fiche reader-printer that is easy to use, allows for downloading images to external drives and uses plain paper. It cost $ 8,699 and was purchased from e-ImageData Corp.
These are future projects:
New Asphalt, Curbs and Striping for the Parking Lots – Our parking lots are not draining properly and are heaving and potholing. Striping is faded. By improving the parking lot, we offer a more attractive, safer space. This project is planned for spring 2012. The current cost estimate for this project is $112,000 with the State Land and Investment Board providing $67,393.
New Carpeting – We replaced a third of the original carpet, installed in 1981, in the spring of 2010 with funding from the State Land and Investment Board and the Albany County Public Library Foundation.. The SPET tax will allow us to replace another third. We have no current cost estimate for this portion of the project or a proposed date.
New circulation system (self checkout) – This allows patrons to check out their own books and releases staff time for less repetitive work. We have no current cost estimate for this project or a proposed date.