West Tisbury To Hold

Focus Groups on Design

The West Tisbury Public Library will host a series of targeted focus groups in November, part of its ongoing effort to gather community comment on the proposed renovation and expansion of its facility.

“Each age group has its own needs, its own favorite features and spaces in the library,” said library director Beth Kramer. “It makes sense to address them separately, and let each demographic segment focus on the design elements that mean the most to them.”

The first focus group, dedicated to parents, tutors and caregivers of children, will meet Monday, Nov. 7 at 5:30 p.m. Later that evening, at 7 p.m., the public is invited to express its views on the proposed library design. Both sessions will be held at the Howes House, across from Alley’s General Store.

On Tuesday, Nov. 15, the library will hold a focus group dedicated to seniors’ concerns at the Howes House. That focus group, which takes place from 9:30 to 11 a.m., will take the place of a weekly discussion group at the same location.

The West Tisbury library was one of eight libraries in Massachusetts to be approved for a state construction grant in July 2011. The $2.98 million grant will cover half the cost of the expansion plans. The library is in the process of raising $1.5 million in private matching funds.

Voters will be asked at the April 2012 West Tisbury town meeting to approve the library design and contribute the remaining $1.5 million needed for the project, Community-wide forums on the library expansion, renovation and design have been a regular library event since spring 2010.