As library services evolve, new library buildings that can facilitate those new services are a common wishlist item. Actually getting those new buildings can be a complicated process, however. A panel described their experiences opening new library buildings in “Everybody Wants a New Library: Planning, Funding, and Constructing Inspiring Spaces,” a June 25 session at the 2022 American Library Association Annual Conference and Exhibition.
Holly Ritchie, director of Manassas Park (Va.) City Library, said the bulk of funding for a new building scheduled to open in August came from the municipal budget, which required public hearings and opportunities for feedback from city residents. “These are a perfect opportunity for your supporters to show their support,” she said. Ritchie also suggested that making smaller expenditures over several years can help to make the outlay an easier sell. Her library spent two years in a temporary location, an unused city-owned building, and focused on building and storing the collection before opening the new building.