Planning for the Future: Central Library

201 West Mifflin Street
Madison, WI 53703
(608) 266-6300

The Central Library Disposal Surplus Property Criteria and Selection Committee was appointed by Mayor Cieslewicz to request and analyze development proposals for a new Central Library. The Committee and the Library Board will hold a public meeting on Thursday, January 8th at the Central Library at 6:00 pm. At this hearing, the two developers that have responded to the Committee's Request for Proposals, T. Wall Properties and Fiore Companies/Irgens Development Partners, will present their very different plans for a new Central Library, and will be available to answer questions about their proposals.  If you can't attend, please share your comments, suggestions, or questions with the Committee. Questions - and the developers' answers - will be posted on the library's web site after the meeting. The meeting will also be taped by City Channel and available on their web site.

• Fiore Companies/Irgens Development Partners: Plan, including floor plans and Fiore/Irgens project web site
• T. Wall Properties: Plan, including floor plans and T. Wall Properties project web site
• Request for Proposals

Why do we need a new Central Library?

The current 98,000 square foot building is nearly 44 years old, and is in need of extensive renovation, including the replacement of all heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems, a new roof, electrical/wiring and security systems. (See a complete list of physical challenges.) In addition, the Library’s current floor plan does not allow for zoned spaces for differing library uses, including quiet reading areas, a teen area, sufficient technology including a computer lab or cafe, sufficient wiring for technology, or direct public access to the entire 524,000 item print and media collection housed at the Central Library. The Library needs many more conference rooms, study areas, and meeting and program spaces to meet the significant demand for free public meeting spaces and educational programming.

The Central Library boasts a service area population of nearly 38,000 people in and around the isthmus. It also provides library services to many people who work downtown but live elsewhere, and use the Central Library as their most convenient “branch.” Of Madison Public Library’s 1.1 million print and media holdings, more than 524,000 are housed at the Central Library.

As well as directly welcoming nearly 450,000 visitors (in 2007), staff at the Central Library also provide necessary centralized services, including statewide interlibrary-loan; cataloging of print and media collections for the 42 libraries in the South Central Library System via contract; oversight of the design and upkeep of Madison Public Library web services and communication; library-wide technology support and maintenance services; administrative services; and specialized Readmobile and Home Services. Many staff at Central are also responsible for overseeing and developing print, media, and digital collections for all Madison libraries. Some or all of these centralized services, including portions of the collections, could be housed elsewhere in Madison, resulting in more space for activities and direct services to the people who use the Central Library -- also resulting in increased ongoing operational costs for rental space and additional staff.

The current building also houses other non-Madison services on a rental basis, including the Dane County Library Service and the South Central LINK staff and equipment. The continuation of these rental agreements will be evaluated as the plans for a new Central are finalized. A new Central Library will need to maintain space for administrative services, and continue to rent space and provide contractual services to the Madison Public Library Foundation.

How much will a new library downtown cost?

We don’t know, yet, and the real costs will depend on the plan chosen. The Surplus Committee is in the process of analyzing the two proposals to compare costs. The City of Madison 2009/2010 capital budget lists $1.7 million for planning for a new Central, and $28.3 million for construction, which includes $14 million in private fundraising.

Where can I learn more about the proposals submitted by T. Wall Properties and Fiori/Irgens?

• Fiore Companies/Irgens Development Partners: Plan, including floor plans and Fiore/Irgens project web site
• T. Wall Properties: Plan, including floor plans and T. Wall Properties project web site
• or read recent newspaper articles comparing the two plans and their costs:
  • Madison has two library proposals, Dean Mosiman, Wisconsin State Journal, December 3, 2008
  • T. Wall Library Plan Is Cheaper, Dean Mosiman, Wisconsin State Journal, December 17, 2008

History of the Central Library

Madison's first public library, the Madison Free Library, opened in on May 31, 1875 in two rooms on the second floor of the former City Treasurer's office in City Hall, located on the Capitol Square at the intersection of West Mifflin Street and Wisconsin Avenue. The first free-standing library building, completed in 1906, initially served a population of 23,000.

The current Madison Public Library building was officially dedicated on June 23, 1965. The existing structure was designed to serve a community of 157,000 and was planned to provide service to a population of up to 240,000.

Featured at the Central Library

Selected news stories featuring the Central Library:

• T. Wall Library Plan Is Cheaper, Dean Mosiman, Wisconsin State Journal, December 17, 2008
• Laptop City Hall (Capital Times Blogs, 12/15/08)
• Madison library project narrowed down to 2 proposals (UW Badger Herald, 12/04/08)
• Madison has two library proposals (Wisconsin State Journal, 12/03/08)
• Laptop City Hall: Should plans for a new Central Library be shelved? (Capital Times Blogs, 9/18/08)
• Laptop City Hall (Capital Times Blogs, 9/15/08)
• Madison Closer to Having a New Library (Badger Herald, 9/11/08)
• Mayor pushes budget for library construction (Wisconsin State Journal, 9/2/08)
• Ambitious library plan gets a few critics (The Capital Times, 6/17/08)
• On the Agenda: A snazzy new library and another fight over bus wraps (Isthmus, 6/16/08)
• Ambitious library plan gets a few critics (The Capital Times, 6/17/08)
• Wi-Fi, Video Games All Part of Public Libraries Version 2.0 (The Capital Times, 6/5/08)
• New Library Has Been on City's Mind for Years (The Capital Times, 6/5/08)
• Downtown library committee members named (The Capital Times, 5/22/08)
• Community moves on library proposal (Badger Herald, 5/2/08)
• New downtown library plan unanimously OK'd (The Capital Times, 5/1/08)
• Madison Library Board takes first step toward replacing building (Wisconsin State Journal, 5/1/08)
• City Reading Over Library Plans (Badger Herald, 5/1/08)
• New downtown library plan intrigues board, but land sale required (The Capital Times, 5/1/08)
• Madison Library Board warms up to proposal (Wisconsin State Journal, 4/29/08)
• Local Libraries Evolve with High-Speed Changes (Madison Commons, 4/14/08)
• Developer Shows Plan For New Madison Public Library (Channel 3000, 4/10/08)
• Library pitch is bold, exciting (Wisconsin State Journal, 4/10/08)
• Plan features new Downtown library (Wisconsin State Journal, 4/9/08)
• New Central Library on List; Mayor's Priorities Include Warner Pool, Villager Mall (The Capital Times, 8/31/07)
• Mayor Wants New Central Library (The Capital Times, 8/30/07)

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