The City of Reedsburg recently contracted for the purchase of property from Lands End, Inc. Part of this purchase includes the former call center building, which has been identified as a potential site for an expanded Reedsburg Public Library. While the project is still in the early planning phases and the full scope has yet to be determined, we are excited about the potential for expanded library spaces and services. We look forward to working with our community to develop plans to best meet our community's needs.
We will update this page and share additional information as the project planning moves forward.
Why now?
2024 marks the 125th anniversary of the Reedsburg Public Library and 26 years at our current location at 370 Vine Street. The current Library was built in 1997 to serve a city population of around 7,000 people. The primary focus of the library when it was built was on the physical check-out of standard adult and children’s books. In the 26 years since the move to 370 Vine Street, Reedsburg’s population has grown to over 10,000 residents and library services have grown and changed, with an increasing focus on technology and community space for learning, collaboration and interaction. The recent availability of the former Lands End building provided an opportunity for growth, services and support to the community.
Why does the library need more space?
Immediately upon moving into the current building, Library staff noted concerns about shortfalls in necessary workspaces, storage and programming needs. As the collections have grown and services have transitioned to address technology needs and assistance, these shortfalls have become more notable. The Library Board of Trustees commissioned a space needs study in 2010, which suggested a need for approximately 24,000 sq. ft. of space for current needs, with additional space needed for growth in the future. From this study, interim measures were addressed to improve HVAC, lighting in the library and rearrangement of storage, staff spaces and collections. An additional study was completed in 2023, which pointed out a need for approximately 34,000 sq ft to meet the current needs for collections, programming space, community space and work and storage areas. The 2023 space needs study highlighted challenges on the current library site stemming from limited space on the site for building expansion and needed parking area.
2023 Space Needs Study - ADCI
Relocation vs Expansion in Place
Leaving the downtown is a substantial departure from our original plans and will be bittersweet, however moving from our existing location to an area outside the city center would offer advantages in space, access and cost savings over our current facility. The proposed location has been determined to meet the identified space needs and addresses many of the layout and data capability needs for the library, along with room for additional growth as needs arise in the future. The location offers green space, ample parking and easy access for biking, walking and driving. The site is convenient to 2 of our district schools, Nishan Park, east-side shopping areas, and main roads entering and leaving Reedsburg.
We hope that input from the community will help us to realize our commitment to serving all residents, regardless of the library’s location. Current ideas include utilizing locker pick-up services currently in place and expanding of our myRPL On The Go service to reach library users where they work and live.
How much will library expansion / relocation cost?
While costs for renovation and relocation are yet to be determined, the proposed space provides much of what we hope to offer in a new library. It is hoped that renovation of and relocation to an existing building will meet the needs of an expanded library for considerably less than the cost to construct and integrate an expansion on the current site, or the cost of new construction somewhere else. As we further evaluate the proposed space and work with the community to determine priorities, we will have a better idea of the total cost and our fundraising goals.
When will this happen?
We'll know more about this as the planning for the project advances. The time frame will depend upon community input, available funding, fundraising efforts and planning and construction factors.
Who will benefit the most from a new or expanded library?
The entire community! Having safe, neutral community spaces is good for all members of the community. An expanded library will make us better able to serve families, individuals of all ages, job seekers, employers, and more to help further the growth of our community.