Fact Check: “This Week at the Jones Library August 2-8”

Videri Quam Esse
(To Seem To Be Rather Than To Be)

The Jones Library weekly email newsletter now includes statements about the proposed library demolition/expansion project and other news about administrative issues. Residents can sign up for this newsletter by following the link

https://www.joneslibrary.org/list.aspx 

and going to “News Flash – Jones Library News.”

I will fact check this column for The Indy. Statements from The Jones are quoted from their newsletter below in italics. 

Friends of the Jones Library Top 2020 Annual Fund Goal
Recognizing the Jones Library’s continuing importance during the pandemic, the Friends of the Jones Library closed its 2020 Annual Fund on June 30 by surpassing its fundraising goal.  Almost 900 donors gave $141,000 to support the Library’s operations, making possible the programs and services reported here weekly.  Thank you to all the Library’s supporters who have responded so enthusiastically to the Friends’ major initiative to increase that support over the last two years.

This statement is MISLEADING.  Trustees Bob Pam and Alex Lefebvre stated at the recent Trustees’ meeting that this chart only indicated the gross fundraising of the Friends.

According to the Memorandum of Understanding, the Friends of the Jones Library (a separate non-profit now administering the Annual Fund) must first deduct from the gross such expenses as fundraising materials, mailing, postage and professional bookkeeping fees. Then the Jones receives 80% of what is left to be spent as the Jones sees fit, and the Friends receive 20%. The Friends then keep the remaining 20% and provide funding for specific programming and materials as requested by the Library Director. (NOTE: This reporter is a contributor to the Friends. According to their by-laws, anyone who contributes is a “Friend” and should be invited to the Annual Meeting to vote for the Friends’ Board members. The contributions of the Friends are essential to the library’s programming needs).

Jones Building Project Update
“When the $41.5 million Hunters Point Library opened along the East River in Queens in September, it was praised as a marvel.  But now the narrative around the architectural gem is morphing amid growing concerns about the building’s accessibility.  As my colleague Sharon Otterman reported, the design element that distinguishes the library — cascading indoor terraces connected by stairs — cannot be reached by people who cannot climb to them.”   ~ Aaron Randle
(from The New York Times 11/7/19 “When an architectural Gem Is Not Accessible to All“.)

This statement is TRUE.  Although a stunner artistically, the Hunter Point Library did not consider accessibility planning seriously.

Let’s look at another fact about this branch library, one of 65 branches for the borough of Queens (population 2,300,000). The Hunter Point Library cost $40 million for a new building of 22,000 sq. ft. serving about 35,000 people (1/65th of the total borough population).

The Jones Library demolition/expansion will result in a library of 65,000 sq. ft. for an Amherst normalized population of 18,953 (See Jones Library Community Preservation Act 2020 application, p.31) and cost $35.8 million plus debt service minus a state grant of $13.8 million.  The Jones’ MBLC grant application specified that the proposal is designed for a user population of 51,000. (See page 7).

Kuhn Riddle Architects has now completed its estimate of the costs of bringing the present building into compliance with local and federal handicapped accessibility building codes – which would be required if the Library is simply repaired and not renovated.  The total estimate for all such repairs and accessibility improvements: over $14 million.  For details, attend the August 6 “Library Chat” from 7 – 8 pm.

This statement is MISLEADING. The historic L- shaped 1928 original building could apply for accessibility exemptions as the library did during the 1993 addition. Kuhn Riddle was only asked to evaluate the library based upon its present functioning.  A space planner has never been hired to analyze use of the entire Jones, including the 1993 addition which is slated to be demolished. Therefore, there might be opportunities for using space differently, including many locked rooms.

Current plans  for the proposed renovation/expansion project make the front entrance accessible by restoring the semi-circular walkway of the original 1928 building.

This state is MISLEADING because the walkway itself will not make the front door accessible. The front lawn will need to be re-graded so there are no steps, and the front door may need to be reconfigured. One architectural rendering has shown a covering over the semi-circular walkway. How these preliminary plans adhere to the Historic Preservation Restriction on the exterior of the 1928 building has not been revealed.