Introduction to the construction effort

Here is a brief introduction to the contsruction effort. For the full history of the library, visit http://www.madisonlib.org/about.html.
Our library, like many others in the area, has been too crowded for a number of years. The community room was taken out in 1999 to make room for a larger children's area and a new YA section. We've added shelving and moved things around trying to make the most of the space we had for as long as possible. Knowing that a new facility was inevitable, the library's administration looked at several possibilities for moving to a new space in Rexburg. The decision was made in January 2008 to hold a bond election to fund a renovation and expansion of the current building. The $3.92 Million bond was passed with 74.36% of the 1,400 votes cast.

Starting the Foundation

At the beginning of October, the construction crew began to lay the foundation. Here's a few pictures showing that process:

As many of you know, the new section will add approximately 60% more space to our existing building. It was really fun to see the outline of the new construction, and realize how big the new library will be!

The day the trees came down

Unfortunately, these three old pine trees were too big to be moved and in too poor a condition to be saved.

In fact, one of the trees was damaged this summer during a windy storm. A large part off the top fell across our parking lot. Luckily no one was injured and no property was damaged. We can thank the City of Rexburg for coming to clean up the mess.

Damage from the wind storm. 5/13/09

Demolition

The first things on the distribution center to go were the concrete front steps and back porch. We had hoped someone would be able to move the old home off the property, but it would have been too costly. Instead the contractor demolished the building on September 21, 2009.

Pictures from the groundbreaking

This is the crowd waiting for the program to start.

Nick Allison, Madison Library Foundation

Chris Mann, Rexburg City Council

Judy Dewey, Director

Dr. Geoffrey Thomas, Madison School District

Pam Beard, Library Board

Donna Benfield, Rexburg Chamber of Commerce

Jeniel Facer, Library Board

Gordon Timothy, Library Board

Blaine Robertson, Library Board Chairman

At the conclusion of the ceremony, anyone who wished to participate

was invited to help dig for the new library.

Prep work for the groundbreaking

The setting for the actual groundbreaking was the little strip of lawn on the east side of the distribution center. Here's what it looked like that morning, nothing but a patch of tall weeds. The sod was cut out earlier in the summer. About an hour before the ceremony was to take place, the contractor, Bateman-Hall, cleared the space with a backhoe.

And here it is all ready for the ceremony.

This is the north side of the old building before we decorated for the groundbreaking.

Now the stage is set...

Bird's Eye View

This is the view of what the new library should look like from the air. The current library is in the top right corner. You can see near the middle of the south side the drive up book return.