Citizens for a Library in West Boise,
Thank you for your support and engagement! Now is the time for action! Without your voice, West Boise will be left out of city services it wants and needs!
Here’s the background:
On Wednesday August 13th, at the monthly Library Board of Trustees Meeting, Library Director Jessica Dorr and representatives from Group4 architecture shared the (delayed) facilities plan they have developed.
The plan has concluded that the existing facilities provide good coverage to all Boise citizens. This conclusion is based on a map that shows that citizens across the city use various library branches. (shocking, right??)
This plan calls for improvements to existing locations: Hillcrest and Collister will be upgraded to become much larger facilities (potentially new standalone buildings), but the consultant concluded that no new location needs to be added in the city, including in West Boise. That’s no new library coverage until at least 2050.
The location analysis is fundamentally flawed*.
Although the focus of libraries is books (and other physical materials), they provide so much more than that. They provide services to the community. They provide a place to meet, for organizations, for individuals. They provide free access to technology. They become a cornerstone of a vibrant community. They are similar to parks and public safety, an essential city service that no part of the city should be without.
Acceptance of this plan cements the status quo for the next 25+ years. We’re looking at the next facilities plan in 20 – 25 years. (The last plan was developed 25 years ago). Once the plan is made, it takes time to get the funding and execute that plan.
Boise claims to be a city for everyone – unless you want a library in West Boise.
What can you do?
Our first priority should be to share our thoughts with the Boise Library Board of Trustees by September 3rd, and to specifically request that they reject this facilities plan draft on the basis that it does nothing to address library service inequity in Boise. If this plan is approved by the Library Board and City Council, we will not see a new library in West Boise for 25+ years or until 2050! The plan calls for new facilities for Hillcrest and Collister — which is wonderful for those parts of Boise. But what should the highest priority be? Replacing existing facilities the city rents at a reasonable cost to the taxpayers or providing access where it’s simply missing today? The cost of a new, improved facility in West Boise, Hillcrest, or Collister is going to be roughly the same.
Why do we reach out to the Board of Trustees? Because this is what they signed up for, specifically.
“Per state statue, the Boise Public Library Board of Trustees govern the Library and aid it in serving its mission to improve community members’ quality of life by supporting their efforts to enhance knowledge, realize creative potential, and share ideas and stories. Trustees uphold the Library’s values and commitments to intellectual freedom, universal access, innovation, and providing a world class experience for all members of the community. In addition to providing fiscal and policy oversight, the Trustees appoint and review the Library Director. By law, Library Boards in Idaho are responsible, rather than advisory boards.”
https://www.cityofboise.org/government/boards-and-commissions/library-board-of-trustees/
If you would like to share a comment with the Board, you can send a letter to the Library, to the Board’s attention, or email the Board at bplboardtrustee@cityofboise.org. The Board President reviews all letters and emails and has the discretion to decide how to respond.
More information about the current Board of Trustees:
https://www.boisepubliclibrary.org/about-us/board-of-trustees/
You may also reply to me. I will collect comments and ensure that the Library Board of Trustees receives them. (If you email the board directly, please cc or bcc me on your messages, I’d love to read and compile feedback. fmark.salisbury@gmail.com).
Suggestions on format:
State your name, where you live, why you value libraries. Share your thoughts about Group4’s analysis and the importance of this facilities plan for the future of the community.
I’m fired up. What else can I do?
Talk about this with your neighbors. Encourage your neighbors to also contact the Board of Trustees. Forward this email. Encourage people to sign the petition if they haven’t already: https://www.citizensforalibrary.org/west-boise/petition/
Why is feedback needed to the Board of Trustees by September 7th? The next Library Board of Trustees meeting will be September 10th at the Hillcrest Library at 11:30 AM. Any minute / agenda updates need to be ready several days before the meeting. Although the public cannot comment at these meetings, you may attend. Your presence will be noticed. You can talk with Board of Trustees members after the meeting.
My Review of Group4’s Analysis
Here’s the map of library usage for one week in April 2024 that Group4 uses to claim libraries are well distributed:
This is where the analysis gets illogical. Suppose I was in the business of grocery stores. Would a map that shows that everybody buys groceries, including the store they usually visit, tell me that there is no need to build a new grocery store? Based on this approach, without even doing a study, I would conclude that no new grocery stores are needed. That’s the logic used to justify the “same old” facilities plan. Boise values its park system and aspires to have a city park within a 10-minute walk for everyone. If we used Group4’s analysis for parks, we’d never need a new park. I took my kids to Ann Morrison yesterday to play disc golf, so on this map I’m an Ann Morrison user, even though it’s about a 30-minute drive each way.
During the presentation there was no recognition that the density of dots (users) is decreasing as you get farther from a library, even though the population density of those areas is comparable to other areas with lots of dots.
The analysis said that what a gap might look like is what is shown in the south west part of Boise. Then Group4 basically admitted that the analysis is flawed because it’s missing checkouts from libraries outside of Boise. I know we’d see that in West Boise too, that West Boise residents use Eagle, Meridian, and Garden City Libraries, if that data was available.
The next slide showing “LIBRARIES ARE WELL-DISTRIBUTED” makes it clear that there is not a good distribution. (Do the dots representing libraries look evenly distributed to you?) This would be especially clear if this map also included population. (The airport is a large area of the city but has no population; West Boise is a large area of the city with areas of both average and above average population density)
My Analysis in 2023
On the other hand, when I researched library access across Boise, using a simple data driven approach based on population and distance, the answer was clear. West Boiseans collectively travel far more to get to a library than people in any other neglected part of Boise!
I used a 2-mile radius as a service area for this analysis and found 5 areas of Boise that are more than 2 miles from a library:
It’s not even close. Collectively West Boiseans would travel over 80,000 miles to get to a library; the next closest area is Highlands, which would require ~6,000 collective miles. You can find more information here:
https://www.citizensforalibrary.org/west-boise/areas-with-poor-access/
July 2023 Budget Hearing, Petition by Citizens for a Library in West Boise
When we (Centennial Neighborhood Association Members, and 835 Boise citizens) petitioned the City of Boise and the Library staff to fill the library gap in West Boise at the annual budget hearing in July 2023, we were told that no decision would be made at that time, and that the city would develop a facilities plan. After this rejection we recognized that the first step to having a library in West Boise is for it to be part of the facilities plan. Finding the money to implement the facilities plan is the second step.
At the July 2023 meeting, Council Member Luci Willits asked Library Director Jessica Dorr:
“Can you give us more detail on what that $300,000 will go towards and what role facility planning will play in that as far as library coverage?”
Dorr responded, “Yes, this is wonderful to have so many library supporters here today, and to hear stories of what libraries mean for people personally. It really makes me as the library director and my staff just so happy to see so much support in the community…
“One of the things that we did last year, that we found from our short term 5 year plan, one the key findings, is how invested the community is in having a conversation about facility planning, about equitable access.”
“…The community really values that physical facility — in addition to a continued website, e-audio books, we want that convenience.”
Council Member Willits: “I need clarification, what is that 300k giving us?”
Dorr continued, “With the approval of that money for the long term facilities plan, first thing I’ll do, I’ll meet with the Board of Trustees, I’ll finalize what the scope will look like with the Board. We’ll get community input, as well as input from council. It’s really important at the beginning, it needs to include facilities as well as the right staffing model, technology needs, collection sizes. All of those pieces are really important in terms of looking at what are the resources that a library needs.
I think it’ll look similar to the recommendation that came 20 years ago, that had scenarios, that were available for the for the Board, council, and community to consider. Here are different investment opportunities and trade-offs. When you think about budgeting, you know you’ll have to make choices that meet our communities expectations but also have the funding for them long term.”
City Council was clear that the facilities plan should include public feedback. Although it was delayed, eventually the city with help from Group4 conducted an online survey, held listening sessions, and went out to interview teens at multiple venues.
It seems the feedback received was of little value in building the facilities plan; requests for a library specifically in West Boise were made by many but there was no mention of this in the analysis of the feedback.
Boise’s Vision and Goals of the Facilities Plan
Let’s revisit the vision of the City of Boise as well as the goals of the library facilities plan.
Boise’s vision:
Our Vision: Creating a city for everyone.
GOALS:
- Ensure that every community member has access to library materials in a format that works for them.
- Create library spaces that are accessible and welcoming to all.
- Increase the number of people who are aware of and benefit from the variety of services the Library provides.
- https://www.boisepubliclibrary.org/facilitysurvey
Is this vision, and are the goals of the facilities plan, in line with the outcome?
YouTube recording of the August 13th meeting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdQ4730lJNE
Sincerely,
Mark Salisbury
Founder, Citizens for a Library in West Boise
I live near the intersection of Cloverdale and McMillian – in the heart of West Boise. My children would love a library that is less than a 15 minute drive from our Boise home. We have used the libraries in Eagle and Boise (Cole & Ustick) for 20 years and adore what the library does for the community. As this community grows, the libraries should accommodate the arid areas of the city which have not easy library access. There are several improvement projects in West Boise including increasing bike friendliness. But, bike to where? The clustering of schools in West Boise would make a library a logical, safe, and community friendly landing point for the citizens here. I respectfully ask the Board to reject the current plan and relook at the INCREDIBLE opportunity here in West Boise.
I live in west Boise off of Ustick and libraries are becoming increasingly important in our communities. I believe there is a gap in the West Boise community where a library could be. Sure people can and will travel to other libraries in the valley if they have the ability to do so. However this is very limiting to many groups in our community. Boise has a poor public transportation system and seems poor to assume that most people can easily travel to one of the other libraries consistently. Also is the importance of libraries and children of school age. There is a significant number of schools in west Boise but no library. I know of at least 8 schools and there may be more. To me this is a huge loss for learning for children in not having close access to the library near their school. These schools children attend are determined by where they live (which is nearby) and some may not spend a lot of time traveling far out of their community vicinity during the school week between going from home and school, and thus, not likely to travel out far to seek out a further library.
My name is Cindy and I live in Bristol Heights (corner of Chinden and Eagle Rd), Boise, ID 83713. Yes…Boise. If you look at a map of current libraries, you will likely spot something curious: not a single Boise Library anywhere near me, or frankly, anywhere near much of “our part of” West Boise. Yet in a recent communication, it was stated that libraries are “evenly distributed.” I’d love to know how that math works. Because from where I’m sitting, it looks more like we’ve been left off the map, quite literally.
Also, I couldn’t help but notice the concern about “folks in West Idaho” being upset they won’t get another library. As one of those West Idaho folks, who pays taxes just like every other Boise resident, I’d like to point out that we don’t have a library nearby at all, let alone worry about not getting “another” one.
If future library locations are being discussed, may I suggest focusing on areas like mine, which have none? My dollars fund the library system too, and the current distribution feels inequitable, to say the least, the very least.
Perhaps it’s time to consider a more equitable approach, perhaps allocating tax dollars according to the percentage of shared amenities actually available in each neighborhood. If our neighborhoods, in the extreme West Boise area, aren’t deemed worthy of a library, maybe our tax contributions should reflect that lack of service. Fair is fair, right?
This isn’t just an oversight – it’s a disservice. A city that prides itself on education, access, and community should be embarrassed by how little of that is extended to this part of Boise. Please review a map of libraries because a picture is worth a thousand words! Looking forward to an explanation, or better yet, a better plan!
Sincerely,
Cindy B
West Boise residents have needed a library for decades and it’s time a library was given a higher priority.
I was recently contacted by the Conservation Voters of Idaho to help raise support for the new Foothills and Parks Levy. I’m hesitant to support the proposed levy when we have a greater need for a library in West Boise.
Boise has invested in libraries throughout the City, except for West Boise. About 40,000 West Boise residents live in a library desert, their homes more than 2 miles from any library. Contrast that to the rest of the Boise residents who live within 2 miles of multiple libraries. Boise has an excellent library system, providing community-building services. Neglecting the needs of such a large neighborhood is of increasing concern in West Boise. It should be a concern for the citizens of the rest of Boise.
Finding a property suitable for building a library in West Boise has become more difficult as there are fewer and fewer unbuilt locations. It isn’t going to get easier or cheaper.
I appreciate and support all that CVI does for Idaho, but Boise needs to recognize that a library in West Boise should have a higher priority.
I was born and have lived in West Boise for 30+ years and have always been an avid reader and library goer. I currently live right next to Lowell Scott Middle School, and I grew up living right next to Centennial High School. When I was growing up, my parents made sure to make special trips to the Bookmobile and to other library branches because of my love of reading, even though they were often 15-20 minutes out of the way for us.
Children who attend schools in West Boise have to travel 4 miles to the closest library (Orchard Park), which isn’t even in the Boise Public Library system. The closest Boise Public library is at Cole and Ustick, which is 5 miles away. While this may translate to only 15 minutes of drive time, it means an hour and a half walk down busy streets and highways for those without access to cars. A quick trip to the library after school for a child without a driver’s license risks walking for an hour down Chinden Road to Orchard Park Library or almost 2 hours to the Cole and Ustick branch.
The location analysis that was done for the recent facilities plan has a key flaw in the logic used. The findings were that citizens from all over the city use libraries, so therefore, no new library is needed. However, libraries provide critical services such as educational programs and free technology, so even people who don’t have easy access to a library will go out of their way to get to one. Consider a grocery drought analysis. Groceries provide access to food, a critical need for living. So even those without easy access will make an effort to get to a grocery store because they need the products the grocery store provides.
The current libraries are wonderful and I truly appreciate all the amazing work they do. But I would like to request that the BPL Board reconsider the decision to not build a library to serve the citizens of West Boise. Please don’t make us wait yet another generation for a library.
Thank you for your consideration,
Keiko Neufeld
I have been following the efforts to get a library added to west Boise, and was extremely disappointed to hear that an August 13th, the board drafted a plan that said no library was needed for the next 20-25 years. My understanding of the decision, was that it was based on data saying that the existing libraries receive traffic from all over the city. Unfortunately, I think there is a major flaw in the logic used.
Let me use a metaphor. If I have three cups placed out in the rain, each cup will catch some water. If I add funnels larger than the cups, more water will be collected in each. In this metaphor, the cups are libraries and the funnels are the extra distances people are willing to travel to get to the libraries. The logic used in the August 13th decision says, “look, all of the cups catch water”. However, does this mean that the ground in the gaps between the cups isn’t wet? Also, if the funnels were not there, even more rain would be missed. The use of the existing libraries doesn’t accurately represent the need for a new library. There are people and children who are falling through the gaps because they can’t or won’t travel. Every missed droplet is a shame. Ideally, the cups would be so dense as to catch most all of the water without the need for funnels. There would be enough libraries so that no extensive travel would be required.
A far better way to measure the necessity of a library is by comparing the population density against the distance to the nearest library. I started looking into doing this analysis myself, then realized it was already done on this page https://www.citizensforalibrary.org/west-boise/areas-with-poor-access/. That analysis clearly shows that there is a need in west Boise for a library so that we can drastically reduce the distance any person needs to travel to get to a library.
I encourage the anyone to explore the 2021 census data here https://data.census.gov/map/050XX00US16001,16001$1400000/ACSDT5YSPT2021/B01003?t=001:Population+Total&y=2021&layer=VT_2021_140_00_PY_D1&loc=43.6925,-116.3321,z9.3543.
I believe libraries are particularly important for children who are still in school. Libraries not only provide places to study and congregate, but I have seen how libraries can be a refuge for children that come from broken homes. Libraries provide a safe environment for these children to complete their school work and pursue hobbies without being surrounded by the issues at home. These children often don’t have access to the transportation required to get to a far away library. Restricting access to such a vital resource is unconscionable.
I am imploring the board to reconsider the data they are using to make their decision. Make sure what the data is saying truly represents the problem being addressed. Please don’t measure how far people are currently willing to travel; instead measure how far people should be required to travel.
I have been working with Citizens for a Library and am very disappointed in Group4’s analysis for the facilities plan for libraries in Boise. West Boise is further from a library than anywhere else in the city. We experience a lack of resources that deeply affects our quality of life. Libraries are essential to a community’s well being and benefit patrons of every age. Before moving to West Boise 13 years ago, I took my children to a local library at least once a week, and oftentimes more. I lived in communities in Alaska and then in Garden City when we first moved to Idaho. Every place we lived had a library within a reasonable distance. Since moving to West Boise, our library use has plummeted as there are no libraries in my area. Please do not mistake, we still love and value libraries and go when we can, but the distance to different branches severely limits our ability to attend programs and even just check out books on a regular basis. Being left out of the facilities plan for the next 25 years makes me feel like a second-class citizen in the city of Boise. West Boise is being neglected and a facility plan that does not address our lack of resources should be rejected. A facility plan should take all of Boise into account and address all citizens’ needs.