From: Donna Vaughn
To: CityCouncil-List
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Library
Date: Monday, June 17, 2024 8:16:07 PM
Please proceed with planning the library
Sent from my iPad
From: Karen Manuel
To: CityCouncil-List
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Alameda Point Library
Date: Monday, June 17, 2024 1:11:35 PM
I'm writing to express my support for a new branch library at Alameda Point, including a tool lending library.
A library at this location will serve historically underserved residents of Alameda and housing insecure populations, not to mention the residents of all the new housing being built on the Point. Community members young and old need easy
access to our library system. The current West End
Library does not have the capacity to serve this expanded community. The long needed tool lending library has broad support from the entire community of Alameda. It can help people maintain their homes, build skills and will spread good will throughout the community.
Libraries have transformed from solemn rooms with hushed voices to vibrant community centers. Alameda's library system has been forward thinking in its growth and transformation, but has been limited by space. A new branch library with expanded services to the entire community is an exciting and much needed next step.
I ask you to support this project in every way possible, as we work as a community to make this new Branch a reality.
Thank you,
Karen Manuel
50th Anniversary Year
Donate Now!
From: Joyce McConeghey
To: City Clerk
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Public Comment for 6/18 Meeting
Date: Sunday, June 16, 2024 10:54:52 AM
Unable to get direct City Council email to work. Please add to 6/18 meeting record:
I’m writing in support of the development of a library branch at Alameda Point.
Joyce McConeghey
1820 Wood Street
Alameda, CA 94501
510-693-5998
[email protected]
Library board member November 2018 – June 2023; President July 2022 – June 2023 --
Joyce McConeghey
[email protected]
510-693-5998
From: Doug Biggs
To: City Clerk
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Letter to City Council Regarding item 7-D on June 4th Council Meeting Date: Monday, June 3, 2024 2:07:59 PM
Attachments: Library Support Letter.pdf
Dear Lara,
Attached please find a letter from the Collaborative Partners of the RESHAP project in support of discussions involving establishing a branch library at Alameda Point, Item 7-D of the June 4
th Regular City Council Meeting. Thanks!
Doug Biggs, Executive Director
Alameda Point Collaborative
(510)898-7849
www.apcollaborative.org
Dear Members of the City Council,
I am writing on behalf of the RESHAP (Rebuilding Existing Supportive Housing at Alameda Point) project team, Alameda Point Collaborative, Building Futures, Operation Dignity and MidPen Housing, to express our enthusiastic support for the addition of a library branch within the RESHAP community at Alameda Point.
This initiative represents a remarkable opportunity not only for RESHAP, but also for fostering a vibrant new gathering space where our residents can engage with the broader Alameda Point and Alameda community.
The timing of this proposal is ideal, as infrastructure and site preparation work for the first RESHAP phase that could include this library branch commences this week. Integrating the library into the ongoing development will ensure it becomes an essential and well-utilized part of the community from the very beginning.
Current RESHAP residents have expressed a strong desire and need for accessible educational resources and community spaces to complement the current offerings. Since Fall 2023, City staff have collaborated with Alameda Point Collaborative (APC), MidPen Housing and the project architect DBA to explore the feasibility of a library branch adjacent to the RESHAP community. Community input gathered during APC and Building Futures resident outreach meetings held in April and May 2024 showed overwhelming support for the inclusion of a library branch. Residents identified a variety of programs and services that would draw them to the library, including public events, technology access, social services, study spaces, and a unique Tool Lending Library.
The preliminary plans for the 4,800-square-foot branch library include spaces dedicated to public events, quiet study rooms, tool lending, and a wide range of library materials. The library would be adjacent to the Barn, which will offer workforce development programs, job training, and educational programs operated by APC. These two spaces will be designed to provide efficient and complementary shared spaces that promise to enhance the lives of RESHAP residents and enrich the broader Alameda Point community. The proposed library branch’s location on Pan Am Way adjacent to a bus stop and on the border of the Adaptive Reuse Area is a central and ideal location for this crucial amenity.
RESHAP aims to develop 7.9 acres of City-owned land into a trauma-informed campus with 332 units of affordable housing and numerous community initiatives. The addition of a branch library aligns perfectly with our goal to provide comprehensive support and resources to our residents.
To advance this project, we seek the City Council's direction to continue to partner with City staff, Friends of the Alameda Library and Library Board as they further develop the Alameda Point Branch Library design and identify funding sources.
We believe this branch library will greatly enhance the quality of life for RESHAP residents and serve as a valuable asset to the entire Alameda community. We look forward to your support and guidance in making this vision a reality.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Doug Biggs
Executive Director, APC
From: [email protected]
To: Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft; Malia Vella; Trish Spencer; Tony Daysog; Tracy Jensen; City Clerk Subject: [EXTERNAL] Comments re: Alamea Point Library -- Agenda Item 7D Date: Tuesday, May 28, 2024 12:56:19 PM
Attachments: image001.png
THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF ALAMEDA
May 28, 2024
RE:: Alameda Point Library – Agenda Item 7D
The League of Women Voters of Alameda (LWVA) urges the City Council to authorize the City to continue with the planning and development of the Alameda Point Library.
Since Fall 2023, City of Alameda (City) staff have been in discussions with Alameda Point Collaborative (APC) and MidPen Housing (MidPen) about a branch library in the RESHAP
(Rebuilding Existing Supportive Housing at Alameda Point) development, located on Pan Am Way near W. Midway Avenue.
The proposed 4,800 sf library includes space for public events, quiet study rooms, tool lending, and library materials.
Development of an Alameda Point Library is part of the City’s Strategic Plan.
The planned site is adjacent to the 332 units of affordable housing offering residents direct access to high value library programs, meeting space and workforce development. The
proposed Tool Lending Library would complement proposed workforce development providing equipment for crafting, cooking, car and home repair and gardening. The space is easily
accessible by other residential developments at Alameda Point and on an AC transit bus line.
The League supports a library system that meets the diverse needs of all Alamedans and increased funding for the expanded programs and services. Despite predictions to the contrary the Alameda Library Is heavily used by all ages and populations.
The AP Library will reach new audiences and will be an attractive feature for businesses and residents who rent and purchase homes in the area.
The LWVA urges the Council to support this critical component in the development of Alameda Point.
Anna Crane
Anna Crane, President
League of Women Voters Alameda
510-521-7352