City officials are expanding and relocating the South Madison Branch Library in an effort to revitalize the neighborhood.
The library, now part of Villager Mall on South Park Street, is moving to a new Urban League of Greater Madison building and will be upgraded to three times the size of its current space. The library will be the cornerstone of the updated mall, which will be renamed ""The Villager.""
The Villager is home to health, education and financial service businesses, as well as many locally owned retailers. Upgrading and relocating the mall is intended to stimulate the neighborhood and encourage growth. The mall, considered by many officials to be critical in the redevelopment of Park Street, is hoped to serve as a safe public place for children.
One challenge facing the new library is the $335,000 in private funding needed to make it a reality. The cost for the library is $3.58 million, with city officials devoted to borrowing $2.95 million. Once foundation costs are added, that leaves around $700,000 to raise, according to Tripp Widder, president of the library board and the library foundation's board.
Widder told The Capital Times that more than half of that has been committed through pledges from the Madison Community Foundation, the Rennebohm Foundation and individuals.
Jane Roughen, library community services manager and branch coordinator, told The Capital Times the private fundraising campaign is ""ambitious.""
The already busy library is expected to see even more action in its new location, and initial designs show separate areas for adults, children and teenagers. A large public meeting room, a large number of public computers and wireless Internet access to accommodate increased activity are also part of the new design. However, Roughen said the design depends on the fundraising.
""There's a possibility we'll have to scale back on our wish list,"" Roughen said.
Construction is expected to be complete by early 2010. Widder said if the fundraising has not reached its goal by then, the city will fund the project as fundraising continues.
