Re: FY09 Capital Budget: Rec. & Parks
Blandair Regional Park
North Laurel Park and Community Center
Parkland Acquisition
Robinson Nature Center

Chairman Watson and members of the County Council:

The need for expansion of the Miller Branch Library is well documented by the 2004 Library Facilities Assessment /Master Plan.

Since 2004, additional development has taken place in the Ellicott City service area and more is coming, with over 850 housing allocations requested through 2010. We respect the prudent decision to scale back the square footage of the proposed new building because of budget constraints. However, we ask the County Council and the County Executive to direct the Library Board to site the new Miller Library on the 10-acre site so that future additional facility capacity can be added.

The proposed 63,000 square foot Library would be larger than the existing East Columbia Library at 46,000 square feet, the Elkridge and Savage library branches which are proposed to expand to 35,000 square feet, and larger than the Glenwood Library at 29,800 square feet.

The Miller Library currently serves a very diverse population by age and ethnicity. The League supports the critical Library standard of maintaining 1 square foot of Library space per capita. The current Miller Library provides very limited meeting space that is frequently used by community groups including the League. The proposed new Library would greatly increase meeting room space as well as collections and Library user space.

The new Miller Library/Historical Center's location could also forward one of the Route 40 Task Force Historic Resource goals. By the Library's location adjacent to the National Road significant design elements could and should link the Library to the Ellicott City Historic District.

We urge the County Council's support for the Miller Library/Historic Center FY 09 Capital Budget request for phase one capital construction.

Thank you for your consideration.

Grace Kubofcik
Co-president

Cc: Valerie Gross, HC Library