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O'Fallon library officials propose new 40,000-square-foot building; board, council to weigh funding options
Summary
Library director presented a master-plan driven recommendation to pursue a new 40,000-square-foot library at a city-owned site; estimated all-in cost is about $25 million, with $5 million already reserved and additional funding options including bond issuance and grants under consideration.
Ryan (library director) briefed the City Council on the library’s March 2023 master plan and the board’s work toward a potential new facility, saying the board is pursuing new construction after finding an addition to the current building would be costly and would not correct site limitations. "Libraries are no longer about books only," Ryan told the council, outlining program growth, circulation and visit statistics that library leaders say support a larger facility.
Why it matters: The library’s plan would require substantial capital funding and likely a city bond issuance to finance construction. Because the library is governed by a board that sets levy and budget, the council’s role would include approving any municipal bond issuance; the council would also vote to put a nonbinding advisory referendum on a future ballot to test voter sentiment before a bonding decision.
Key proposal and costs: The library board is evaluating a 40,000-square-foot facility on a…
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