BPL Updates the Community on South End Branch Developments

On November 29, 2022, BPL President David Leonard and Priscilla Foley led a meeting to update the community on South End Branch developments.  They announced that the City is committed to a full renovation of the Branch, using an accelerated process to be formally kicked off after January 1, 2023.  Once an architectural firm is hired, BPL will hold another community meeting on Zoom, which will be recorded and available for public viewing.  The target date for the meeting is March 2023.

The key phases of the new capital project will be as follows:

Study Phase.  A Programming Study will be conducted to gather input and develop preliminary design elements.  The current plan is to use the existing site and to keep the space exclusively for library use, rather than adding housing or some other mixed purpose use.

o   Community meetings will occur during the Programming Study for providing information and receiving input.

o   A Project Manager will be assigned to manage the process of seeking requests for proposals from architectural firms with previous library experience. A committee comprised of three people from the City, two from BPL, and one from FOSEL will select the firm.

o   The size of the new Library will be determined by many factors, including BPL/City requirements for the different patron populations, e.g., adults, teens, children, the size of the community served, computer availability for adults and teens, the size of the collection, community room needs, the number of smaller meeting rooms desired, etc.  Expanding into the Park is a possibility, as is expanding upward (though increasing the square footage would have implications for staffing which would have to be considered). The Study will also look at whether it makes sense to include lockers for public use and whether to  feature children’s rooms with their own, appropriately sized children-only bathrooms. 

Design Phase.  Based on the results of the Programming Study, the architects will determine whether to renovate or rebuild and how best to design the new space.  They will consider accessibility issues and will present options to the community before finalizing the design.

Construction Phase. The final stage will be engaging in construction based on the selected design. 

The BPL representatives could not say with certainty how long the full process will take but noted that the Adams Branch renovation was in the planning stages for two years and then in construction for two additional years. 

Addressing the plan for accommodating unhoused patrons, the BPL representatives noted that they have engaged a team of social workers who help provide job training and social services information, and that staff are trained in how to handle challenges that can come with serving this population. 

Temporary Services

The BPL representatives expressed their satisfaction in partnering with the FOSEL on the neighborhood survey to determine which temporary services to prioritize.  The results were made available in December and a summary is posted on the FOSEL website. 

Special Meeting Held to Discuss Status of the South End Library

A FOSEL-initiated meeting was held on October 17, 2022 to engage BPL and City leaders in a discussion about the short and long term plans for the South End Library.

Among those present were Boston City Council President Ed Flynn, BPL President David Leonard, BPL Director of Neighborhood Services Priscilla Foley, Ben and Jane Siegel from South End Seniors, South End Forum leader Steve Fox, Chief of Boston City Operations Dion Irish, State Representative Jon Santiago, FOSEL board members Yvette Jarreau and Joe Rondinelli, and FOSEL founder Marleen Nienhuis. 

Leonard provided an update on the current state of the Library, which requires a complete systems redesign, following last April’s flooding , according to the engineering firm that evaluated the situation.  It is estimated that the repairs are likely to cost roughly $1 million and take 18 to 20 months to complete. 

Leonard pointed out that the South End Library has been in line for a major renovation for several years and that the City’s capital budget already includes funding for a programming study as the initial phase of the renovation.  Given this context and the cost and complexity of making the short-term repairs, Leonard recommended skipping the repairs and instead accelerating the renovation process.   

The FOSEL representatives presented their concerns about losses suffered by the South End community as a result of the Library’s closure (whether for repairs or renovation). They requested implementation of well-publicized and reliable temporary services and programs for the South End Branch specifically, and recommended more generally that the BPL implement a system-wide policy of providing temporary services and programs during all significant branch closures.  In addition, FOSEL requested regular monthly meetings with BPL and City leaders to keep the community up to date on the Library’s status until it reopens, as well as the posting of regular and visible communications/notifications on the street-facing side of the Library and online about the status of repairs.

Siegel shared key points from the South End Seniors’ meeting with Mayor Wu, indicating that this group also favors moving forward with a full renovation while offering temporary services.  He put forth a variety of suggestions for operating during the closure, such as utilizing space at the Mel King technical center, deploying a bookmobile, providing transportation for seniors to the Central Library, and partnering with the community in other ways.

Leonard stated that although it would be impossible to provide a full panoply of temporary services, the BPL might be able to locate alternative spaces to make up for some of what has been lost.  He is interested in a detailed accounting of which programs and services are most urgently needed by various South End cohorts.  Flynn stated that the needs of residents of Castle Square, Villa Victoria, children in general, and immigrant families, should be examined, for a start.  Additional insight may be gained through regularly scheduled community meetings.

Leonard acknowledged that although online programs and one-off events in Library Park have been occurring, there is a need for consistent, scheduled services and ongoing engagement.   

Fox raised the need to establish a process to move forward, highlighting the importance of keeping the community informed and engaged in the decision on whether to make the short-term repairs or skip to the full-scale renovation.  He suggested an Article 80 process for an impact advisory group that includes all neighborhoods, South End Seniors, and Library users, with public meetings to be held on a short timetable.  Leonard suggested that the BPL Community Advisory Process can be faster than Article 80.

Speaking on behalf of the City, Irish indicated that the South End Library is a priority for the Mayor, State Reps, City Councilors, and the South End.  He stated that the City will assign a project manager to the South End renovation by year-end, start community engagement in early 2023, move into design within 2023, and proceed to construction in 2024 -a two-to-three-year timeline.  Leonard concurred with this approach and Flynn expressed his support for the funding.  Santiago noted that he too supports an accelerated renovation process.

Leonard proposed that Jarreau, Nienhuis, and Fox head up a Working Group to recommend temporary services ideas and to coordinate with Kim Crucioli of the City Office of Neighborhood Services to set up a broader public meeting and identify candidates for the BPL Community Advisory Committee (the group that would engage in the Programming Study process).  The City Office of Neighborhood Services has the final word on Community Advisory Committee participation and would welcome the input.