Should St. Mary's Commissioners go ahead with plans for a new $3 million plus library or simply build a modest addition to the present structure?

Here we go again, just make sure construction costs are anticipated ahead of having completed Architectural and Site Engineering plans done, only to find out we are over budget and we have to scrap the plans and start all over while soaking $500,000.00+ into plans.
(Naval Air Museum, Wicomico Shores Golf Course) May I suggest your local construction and Architectural firms.

The only reason most of th efolks are in the current Leonardtown Library is to make use of the "free" computers. Eliminate the "free" computers and you would find the library is hardly used - - - oh, but that would be considered heresy?

Yes, a new Leonardtown Library is needed. St. Mary's County Library has the 5th highest checkout per resident in the state with the Leonardtown branch posting the largest increase in the county for the past couple of years.

The Library is used for free computer use however if you haven't visited lately and are not aware of the available community resources being utilized there you might be surprised. Computer workshops, early childhood literacy, job search, geneology, storytime, summer reading programs for children birth through high school, home school seminars and science fairs, copy and fax centers are just a few of the services available at your local library not to mention, online databases and practice testing, books, digital, audio, dvd, CD, and digital download.

The Leonardtown Library badly needs a new and bigger building! The library is very busy (and not just the computers like JB suggests), and often very crowded. On storytime days it is hard to find a parking spot, and the small children's area is jam-packed with families. The single "meeting room" used for every kind of class, story hour, and group meeting, and event is too small, and books up to a year in advance for community groups who need to use the space. People use the library for all kinds of things, and check out hundred of thousands of books and other items every year. The library could use more books to keep up with demand, but there is no room for more shelves!
A lot of study and several public meetings went into the question of whether to renovate and expand the current location or build from scratch nearby. Due to the age, design, and many problems with the current building (which is an old armory never designed to be a library, after all!), the decision was made to start over. I was at most of the public meetings, and there was overwhelming public support for the decision that was reached.
The library is important, and heavily used by the community. A new library is an important project and necessary to keep up with the needs of our growing county.

I'd just like to point out how awkwardly worded this poll is. In addition to all the other resources that have been listed our public libraries also offer books on grammar and writing style.

The library is bursting at the seams! Especially in the summer months. The building, although a wonderful historical building, would not be suitable for building on to, plus where would the parking go? When the library is busy, which is often, there is no parking, literally, unless you park on the grass, which I've had to do several times. If anyone is in doubt all they have to do is visit us and see; especially during children's storytimes on Monday and Wednesday mornings!

I wonder how many people are clicking "yes," meaning yes, they DO want the new library, because of the poor wording of the poll. It is very confusing.

As a customer of this library, I can tell you that a new library is needed. The facility is old and overcrowded. It lacks any space to handle the hundreds of customers that count on its many resources . There is little parking. Attaching a new building to an old facility simply makes no long term financial sense.

It is clear to me that the reader is being asked if an expansion of the existing library should be pursued instead of a huge new expenditure of over $13 million. The savings which would be realized by building an addition onto the existing library are over $3 million. Some folks are pretending that the State of Maryland didn't just cut millions to the county and more cuts are yet to come. St. Mary's Commissioners fortunately cannot print money like Obama and the Democrats are doing. How self-focused can you be to blow the money of your grandchildren so you have a fancy building in which to check out free books. Some of these writers advancing the cause of building a new library just want more free stuff and stick others with the bill. The Commissioners should reverse their decision to build this library, just like Larry Jarboe proposed, and only after another two years passes and it is apparent that we will not have to lay off county workers, teachers and deputies, then and only then, add on a modest addition to the existing Leonardtown library.
For now, build nothing and sell the Hayden Farm.

Renovating a 1954 armory into a library which will adequately serve our community of knowledge seekers for the next 25-50 years is fiscally irresponsible. Build a new library now....it will save the taxpayers in the short and long term. I know that St. Mary's Today editor and readers must support libraries since they are in the same business; that is, making information and all viewpoints available to our citizens.