Library building costs may rise to finish project

The Kokomo-Howard County Public Librarys Outreach Building is looking good from the outside, but library officials indicated this week theyll need additional funds to complete the project.

Last year, the library board appropriated $875,000 for the new building, which sits just to the east of the Main Library downtown.

Friday, library interim director Peg Harmon said the building project is on schedule and on budget, and said plans are to begin moving into the building this summer.

But board members heard Monday about another $36,000 in proposed additions to the building, items which werent included in the building plans.

The biggest chunk of the additional expenses is for telecommunications infrastructure, including phones, cabling and a Wi-Fi system. Also being considered are $5,450 for shelving and $4,425 for a door access system.

The new building will house the librarys collection management and outreach departments.

Collection management catalogs new materials and prepares them for the librarys public collection, and also culls dated materials from the shelves. Outreach deals primarily with the librarys two bookmobiles.

A large garage where the bookmobiles will be parked is included in the building.

Harmon said the board received information on the additional items Monday, but didnt take any action.

Board members originally hoped to complete both the renovation of the Main Library and the outreach building for a total of $4.5 million.

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Library building costs may rise to finish project