Summer start eyed for library start

   MONROE — The township is hoping to award contracts by June for a project that would double the size of the library located at 4 Municipal Plaza.

By: William Greenwood
   MONROE — The township is hoping to award contracts by June for a project that would double the size of the library located at 4 Municipal Plaza.
   Township Administrator Wayne Hamilton said Monday the township plans to go out to bid on the project in mid-April, receive bids on May 10, and award a contract at the Township Council’s June 6 meeting. He said the plan is to build north and south additions to the 19,462-square-foot library that would expand it to over 40,000 square feet.
   The additions are expected to provide more shelves for the children and adult sections, more room for young-adult books and increased space for support staff, Mr. Hamilton said. The project also provides for the installation of a drive-through window for book pickups and returns.
   "(That’s) really good because a lot of our population is older, and they have difficulty getting in and out of vehicles as it is," Mr. Hamilton said. "So, if they can do the transaction at a drive-through window, or conversely, a young mother with a number of kids in car seats, if she can do that transaction again at the window, it makes life a lot easier for our population. That’s the intent."
   Mr. Hamilton said the expansion is needed because of the large number of people who use the facility.
   "We have over 1,000 people that use the library a day currently," he said. "This is an incredibly active, well-used library facility compared to many."
   The library’s expansion is part of a larger township building project that also includes constructing a new senior center and putting an addition on the community center.
   The Township Council approved a bond ordinance for $20 million in March 2006 that set aside $7.5 million each for construction of the senior center and expanded library and $5 million for the expanded community center.