Putting the Community in Cobleskill Community Librarys Plans for the Future

The new Community Room will contain a specially made quilt that Library staff has seen glimpses of and have hanging on the wall in the rendering of what the room will look like.

COBLESKILL - Between April 23rd and May 3rd, the Cobleskill Community Library held four open discussions for shaping the Library’s Plan of Service, which was first created through virtual community meetings five years ago. At the third meeting on May 2nd, there was a good turnout and Trustee, Fred Barnes, was delighted that parents had been bringing young kids to the meetings, who he said shared such dynamic ideas!

Attendees were split into two groups to tour the renovations with Director Kim Zimmer and to go over questions with Mohawk Valley Library System’s (MVLS) Community Engagement & Communications Specialist, Wade Abbott. MVLS supports the 14 libraries in Schoharie, Schenectady, Fulton, and Montgomery counties.

The tour took place along the 1st floor of renovations, and the 2nd floor of each room was explained from below because the layout is the same on both floors. Starting at the emergency exit that was modified in the initial restoration, groups were then shown a chimney that will be broken through to connect the renovated side’s hallway to the existing library. There will be a similar doorway on the 2nd floor. The downstairs hallway will one day be lined with Schoharie County Arts created artwork, while the upstairs will have display cases for historical items. 

Past the janitor closet and bathroom will be the new Create Space to accommodate art events, which get the highest attendance numbers. Zimmer held photo renderings that were made with a design team to imagine furnishings in each room. A metal structure within the Create Space, that can also be accessed from the hallway, will be a supply closet upgrade from their current, tiny supply closet in the basement. The supply closet’s walls will have cabinetry and sinks within the Create Space, and the center of the room will have worktables. There was applause and audible, “Yay!” exclamations as Zimmer announced the 2nd floor above the Create Space is where the new History Room will be migrating to. The History Room’s storage area will be behind a floor-to-ceiling bookcase of history-related materials, and the room will be a place for people to do research; there will be computers and lockers to store personal items while doing work. 

During hazmat remediation, the discovery of extra doors saved them from having to pay for brick removal to create new doors, and the upstairs doorway will provide safer access to the attic for staff which currently can only be accessed with a very steep ladder in the history room closet and requires lots of upper body strength to push insulation out of way, then pull themselves up through the opening.

Funding with the NYS Historic Preservation EPF Grant requires the library to keep their tin ceilings, which made the patron who asked about them very happy. Due to damage and missing pieces on the 2nd floor ceiling, remaining pieces will be used to make repairs to the downstairs ceiling, the tin ceiling will be replicated on the 2nd floor, and they anticipate the ceilings will be repainted. In renderings, sound buffering materials were hanging to help with the loud noises tin can create.

It is currently unknown how many times the floors have already been refinished, so those that can withstand being refinished will be, while other floors may need to be covered or replaced. They are trying to maintain features that are currently there wherever possible.

All windows have all been replaced, insulated, and UV protected by Millwork in Sharon Springs. The windows will be operable, and natural light won’t have to be blocked with shades for heating and cooling purposes.

Attendees entered the next room through what used to be a chimney to see what will be a much bigger Teen Space than the current tiny corner they have upstairs, and a much bigger bathroom being made specifically with families in mind who visit with strollers and multiple children. The window in the bathroom will be covered to allow light in, while still blocking the parking lot from seeing in. The vision for the Teen Space includes lots of seating, computers, and a gaming area. A window on the opposite side of the room will allow Youth Services to see into the Teen Room and into the new Children’s Room. Above the Teen Space will be a Multipurpose Room for videos, movies, art exhibit space, and for businesses to rent out to conduct training (even outside of library hours once the elevator gets installed).

The current Children’s Room, immediately on your left when you walk into the library, will be moved into a much bigger space next to the Teen Room. It will also offer more seating space, computers, and room to spread out the children’s book collection. Above the Children’s Room will be the Community Room, which will host similar events to the Multipurpose Room, and can also be used for story times, lectures, author talks, events, workshops, presentations, and early voting. It will also make a perfect spot for sitting and reading when there aren’t any events going on; Zimmer described the view as gorgeous because the room and windows are up in the trees.

Last stop on the tour was the space that will replace the Staff Workroom, as the current staff area will be lost after breaking through the connecting wall between the renovated area and existing library. There will also be a staff bathroom, and doors that connect to the Children’s Room, the new Circulation Area, and a door to the outside with a stained-glass window above it. That door to the outside will not be used on a regular basis by staff and will not be patron-accessible. The State’s Environmental Protection Fund has required the library to keep the staircase in the room, so that will lead staff up to their desperately needed break room, and they won’t have to eat lunch at their desks anymore. Kitchen access will be available for coffee during some workshops. There is a door to the basement through the staff room; they will not be doing basement renovations at this time.

When asked about renovation timeframes for usable rooms, Zimmer anticipated the end of this year, beginning of next year, and furnishings will be added room by room. Half a million dollars is still needed to be raised for furnishings, and they still need to do the floors, ceilings, insulation, sheetrock, and paint, which will require another million.  They don’t plan on going to the community for another bond, which Zimmer said not only puts a lot of pressure on herself, but also on the board, Lamont Engineers, and the community to raise the funds needed to complete the project through grants and donations. Barnes brought up the successful removal of asbestos and said, “Kim and her staff deserve a tremendous amount of credit.” Barnes continued, “It’s very impressive what they did. This building was really let go and there was a lot of damage and Kim’s a little too modest. I mean, I know there is a lot more money that’s necessary to get everything so that people can come in and use, but she’s done a fantastic job getting to this point and she really deserves a lot of credit. As a board member, I’m not worried about the fact that we’re going to get more from grants and things as well as the community as we move forward.” 

Zimmer replied, “I say this all the time, we would not be at this stage without the town. When I realized the cost of the hazmat remediation and the fact there was no way the library would have ever been able to fund that, my conversations with the town, they really stepped up and they applied for a CDBG grant for us and I can’t say enough about the town and what they did and you (Barnes) and RJ really keeping on top of checking in and seeing how we were doing. We would not be at this stage if the town did not help us with that, so that has really gotten this project off the ground and to where we are now.”

Now it’s your turn to dream big, make a wish for your community, and help shape the future of the Cobleskill Community Library! Even though there aren’t any more in-person meetings scheduled, Zimmer said their online survey will be available to fill out until the end of May at https://bit.ly/CommunitySurvey25

The survey link first takes you to a “Destination Preview Page” where you can either click on the survey destination link, or wait a few seconds for the countdown to finish and automatically direct you to the survey page. Please take the time to go to the survey and tell the library your answers to these very thoughtful questions: 

Describe your community in just a few words. 

What does your community need, especially given the changes over recent years? 

How could the library meet your needs and the needs of your family and friends? 

Have you seen, or are you aware of the library's expansion plans?

If you are aware of the expansion plans, what are you excited about? 

If you are not aware of the expansion plans, what would you like to see included in the expansion? 

Is there anything else that delights you or concerns you about The Community Library that you would like to share with the Trustees as we embark on creating our next Long Range Plan of Service? 

Please provide your email address if you would like to be updated when the Long Range Plan of Service is complete.