Boerne Public Library needs room to grow PDF Print E-mail
Wednesday, 28 February 2007

Kelly
Kelly Skovbjerg
The Boerne Public Library simply cannot grow in its current space. Back in the late ’80s when the building was purchased by the City of Boerne, the space looked quite different than it does now. At that point it was primarily used for professional office space. The interior rehabilitation so called because most of the original interior historical features had been removed or destroyed of the building consisted of knocking out many existing partitions, adding a break room and improvements to meet building code requirements. The exterior of the building with many changes and alterations as early as 1900 with the one-story addition was made to recapture the historical character and features of the original building. Basic repair and maintenance of exterior deteriorated conditions was also accomplished.

The original engineering studies determined that the floor framing in the first and second floors of the original building could not withstand library stack loading without extensive reinforcement. It was also determined at the time that putting in an elevator (ADA requirement) would be too costly a venture. For these two reasons, the two-story structure is very limited in its uses. Since the rehabilitation, those areas have housed a community meeting room and professional offices. The basement as well, also in the two-story portion, is not finished out, has dirt floors, exposed pipes and ductwork, and pest problems and is therefore not suitable for anything but long-term storage.

When the library first moved into the Dienger building only 7,700 square feet was available for library use. Two thousand seven hundred square feet in the north end of the building was earmarked for expansion and in 1997 that area became the existing children’s area. Since then we have experienced rapid growth and use and no longer have more areas to put shelving in the area of the library that is load-bearing.

Even though the building is charming and historic, it also has issues that all older buildings have, and which make it more difficult and costly to maintain as years go by. We have roof leaks, moisture infiltration and plumbing problems, along with structural settling. As a modern library, the current layout does not allow for good accessibility. Poor lighting is another issue that can only be “fixed” by adding better light bulbs. Costly lighting system overhauls would be required to radically improve our lighting situation. Our other prevalent issue is lack of parking spaces.

Historical Archives

It seems appropriate that the Dienger building should house thousands of historical documents and photographs in the Historical/Genealogical Research Room. These documents include primary source materials, such as maps, land grants, and marriage certificates, dating back to the beginning of the history of Boerne and Kendall County. Our collection of original photographs is overwhelming. Unfortunately, however, when the Dienger building was rehabilitated, the installation of humidity control and special systems for collection preservation was deemed too costly. Conditions that exist now in the building are not ideal for archival storage; most documents are stored in upright filing cabinets. Our community’s historical heritage would be better stored in a space designed for that purpose.

Staying Informed

You can contact us at 830-249-3053 or visit our Web site at http://www.boerne.lib.tx.us/

 
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