By Gary Lloyd
TRUSSVILLE — The Trussville Public Library is bursting at the shelves.
The Trussville City Council on Tuesday authorized Mayor Gene Melton to sign a professional services agreement with William Blackstock Architects for the design of renovations and additions to the library, construction documents, bid documents and construction administration.
The agreement is for $230,000.
In June, the city council authorized Melton to sign a contract with William Blackstock Architects to complete plans for the future expansion of the library. Melton said at the time that the completion of the plans should get the city to a point of being able to take the project out to bid.
The city council in March authorized Melton to contract with architect Joel Blackstock to prepare an updated cost estimate for the removal of the John C. Yarbrough Community Center to expand the library.
Melton said earlier this year that it hadn’t been decided if the neighboring John C. Yarbrough Community Center will be torn down completely. He did say, however, that it would likely be cheaper to tear it down and build a new structure for the library.
There is no timetable for when this project could begin.
Trussville Public Library Director Emily Tish has said an expansion could include a 250-seat auditorium, administrative offices, a Friends of the Library bookstore and meeting rooms, among other things. She said Story Time and other events at the library currently take up space in the center of the library.
The Trussville Public Library building on Parkway Drive was dedicated in 1965 by then-Mayor John Yarbrough. In 1988, the library underwent a substantial renovation when it added a children’s room. In 1996, the library was temporarily relocated to two classrooms in the John C. Yarbrough Community Center while another major renovation took place. That renovation entailed a remodeling of the existing structure and an addition that doubled the library’s size. The newly renovated library opened in November 1997 and was dedicated on May 17, 1998.
The John C. Yarbrough Community Center was purchased by the city in 1951.
Contact Gary Lloyd at news@trussvilletribune.com and follow him on Twitter @GaryALloyd.