The Sunnyvale Sun

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Now low-tech library may be on the move

By JASON GOLDMAN-HALL

The bronze man sitting outside the Sunnyvale Library seems content with a sandwich and a paperback, but the majority of Sunnyvale residents want high-speed, wireless Internet access, CDs, DVDs and Internet search resources in addition to the usual library fare.

The library--now 36 years old--houses more than 300,000 items and 72 computers for public use in 60,000 square feet. But as the Sunnyvale population and its needs have grown, the library, say some, has not evolved and is beginning to fall behind.

On May 3, Sunnyvale resident Greg Woodland was browsing the CD rack with a stack of CDs in hand and said that, compared to cities such as Campbell, Sunnyvale's selection of music is one-third the size.

Woodland says he doesn't usually look at books, but is still a monthly visitor to the library.

"I think a lot of people like to come check out CDs now instead of buying them," Woodland said. "It's the same principle as checking out books."

Library Director Deborah Barrow said some cities try to have almost one square foot of space for every resident of the city. If that ratio were tried in Sunnyvale, the facility would need to more than double in size to match Sunnyvale's more than 130,000 residents.

Barrow said the library is not dodging its duty to serve the public but could be doing more to meet residents' demands. For some people, such as 30-year Sunnyvale resident Bibi Morgan, the library is still the best place to come every few months to find a new stack of mysteries to read.

"It's perfectly adequate for my uses," Morgan said, while checking out a DVD.

Barrow said the library should continue to serve the public while looking to the future and planning for the continued evolution of the area and technology.

To plan Sunnyvale's "Library of the Future," the city council approved an extensive study on April 25. It will address all the issues that have come up in almost a decade of studies, and find a way to help the Sunnyvale library thrive and grow with the community it serves.

One of the most pressing issues is that the library--in the heart of the "Heart of Silicon Valley"--does not have a wireless Internet service for residents who bring their own computers.

While Barrow said the study will investigate the installation and maintenance of a wireless system, it may also attempt to work with MetroFi, the private company providing wireless service to select parts of Sunnyvale.

"People expected wireless service yesterday," Barrow said.

The children's section is also a key focal point. Even though 39 percent of the library's circulation is children's books, the section gets less than a quarter of the building's space. And as the number of books increases, stacks must get higher and more crowded, making it harder for young visitors to browse.

Barrow said the library staff also wants to create areas where families can sit together, or relax on the floor and read.

"If there is a place where families should be able to relax, it should definitely be in our library," she said.

There are also problems with finding enough room for checkout desks and self-checkout kiosks to meet the mid-day demand for books, to prevent the "bottlenecking" Barrow sees.

Barrow also wants a dedicated computer lab that would make it easier for staff to help visitors and monitor the activity inside.

But the biggest question may be where all the new additions will be housed.

"The bottom line is that our library is too small," Barrow said. She estimated the entire process of examining the library of the future could take a year and a half, but she hopes to have begun contacting and evaluating consultants within two months.