Library director presents $3–4 million renovation options after space-use study

Tina Herbal, Pella’s library director, and architect Corey Sharp of FEH Design presented the results of a space-use study that recommended a mix of smaller-scale upgrades (lighting, furnishings, family restrooms, circulation improvements) and larger-scale options including an upper-level addition and expanded lower-level programming space.

Herbal told the council the library saw heavy use in the most recent fiscal year and emphasized the need for investment: “Our program attendance increased from a little over almost 15,000 last year to 20,617 this year,” she said. Sharp walked through design ideas—improved lighting, a reconfigured children’s area with acoustical screening, a possible second level of about 3,800 square feet and options to create maker space and a renovated heritage room. His order-of-magnitude construction cost opinions for a combined set of renovations ranged roughly between $3 million and $4 million; staff said soft costs were not included and no funding request was being made at this meeting.