The Logansport Public Library appears to be in store for major renovations inside and out this year.

Earlier in the week, the Logansport-Cass County board of trustees voted unanimously to approve both the scope of the $883,000 remodeling project and the contract with The Troyer Group out of Mishawaka.

According to library director Dave Ivey, circulation has increased significantly the last two years. More than 420,000 items were checked out in 2008 compared to 301,000 in 2007. The director would like that trend to continue. The remodeling project would allow the library to accommodate more people.

Interior changes include a new elevator, removal of the staircase to the second floor, a new computer lab upstairs, new carpet upstairs, restrooms on second floor and reconfiguration of shelves.

As for the exterior, the plan calls for an outdoor seating area, a canopy for shade and shelter from the elements going in and out, a concrete sign, a security camera and a new bike rack.

Logansport resident Mike Berkshire wanted to know how the remodeling would affect the building, which was erected in 1942.

“Are we getting rid of the library I knew when I grew up?” he asked.

Ivey said no, but he said changes needed to be made to better serve the library’s customers.

“We’re trying to turn it into a facility that serves at the higher end in the state for usage,” Ivey said.

The director wants more people using the library and more materials being checked out. To accommodate that, Ivey says the library must add seating areas and reconfigure the facility’s layout.

If all goes as planned, the DVDs would be moved downstairs, as would the main circulation desk so all materials could be checked out in one location. The stairs to the second floor would be removed and an elevator installed. Ivey said the staircase blocks the view into the facility. The current second-floor opening would be left as a light well.

Numbers provided by The Troyer Group are conservative estimates. If costs exceed those caps, the board might revisit the project.

One setback in the work could be a need for structural remediation. An engineer is scheduled to test the concrete and steel of the floor in the original structure. If reinforcement is required, the list of renovation priorities might be scaled down.

Compensation for The Troyer Group totaled $96,500, which includes $35,000 for structural engineering. That fee would be in addition to the $5,000 for three consultants.

The library reportedly has the money to pay for the remodeling and associated fees.

Kyle Copelin from the architecture firm The Troyer Group said design would likely be completed in May, bids would go out in June and work would start soon afterward. Copelin could not provide the board with estimated length of construction until further along in the project. Ivey said the library would remain open throughout the project.

Board member Pat McNarny mentioned interest savings due to suffering financial markets.

“This is a unique time, and we don’t want that to pass us by,” he said.

Mayor Mike Fincher attended Tuesday’s board meeting. He applauded Ivey and the board for their efforts to increase readership in the community.

“With the closing of the bookstore, I think the library is going to become even more and more important,” Fincher said.

Kevin Lilly can be reached at (574) 732-5117, or via e-mail at kevin.lilly@pharostribune.com