Checking out options
Consultant recommends renovating Temple library and opening 3 branches
DAVID STONE | OUR TOWN TEMPLE
A surging number of visitors and book checkouts at Temple Public Library has prompted city officials to consider a plan to renovate the current facility and add up to three library branches.
In 2022, well over a half-million books were checked out during 174,275 visits by local patrons. That number includes 512,804 printed books and 14,788 digital publications, according to library director Natalie McAdams.
The total 2022 book count almost doubled check outs from the previous year. In 2021, 94,516 visitors checked out 267,951 printed books and 33,284 digital.
The new library master plan, recommended by Dallas-based consultant Godfrey’s Associates, will initially be presented to Temple City Council on March 16. Approval could come as early as April 6.
The plan calls for redesigning the current library at the corner of West Adams and 3rd Street, and adding a rotunda entrance that will be visually prominent from Adams. The renovation will increase the library’s square footage, although some of the space will be used for administrative offices and program rooms.
“Right now, the building is about 76,000 square feet and we are using about 52,000 square feet,” McAdams said. “We have several businesses and non profit tenants in the building, and some of that space will be converted for library use.”
After the renovation, the main library will use approximately 71,000 square feet, plus space in the new rotunda.
“The Literacy Council and the Rotary Club have offices here, and they will remain,” she said. “We will be moving the library’s administrative offices to the third floor.”
Godfrey’s recommendation includes building three branch libraries in phases. Branches would be built in West and South Temple, and a kiosk that could later be upgraded to a branch would be built in East Temple.
“The branches would provide the same services as the main Downtown library,” McAdams said. “So we would buy a lot of new books and hire new staff for each branch.”
The square footage of the branches has not been determined, but one option in the recommendation calls for a 35,000-square-foot branch on the westside.
McAdams said the consultant’s recommendation did not prioritize the phases of the projects.
“There are several ways we could achieve our goal,” she said. “One way is to do the renovations at the main library first and just live through the construction. That would be rough on patrons and staff. Or, we could build one of the branches, then close the main library for the renovations. That’s something the city will decide.”
McAdams said the cost of the library projects has not been determined. Construction and building material costs are fluctuating, and decisions about building sizes need to be made first.
Godfrey’s recommendation does not include a project timeline.
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