In a perfect world -- or even an imperfect one where the pots of cash were equal to the interest in books and libraries -- residents of Long Lake Township would have had their own place to read and borrow books years ago.
For a long time now a determined group of residents have worked to open a branch library there. For more than nine years there was a "reading room" in the township hall that offered a story program and a small lending library. But it closed after a local millage failed; other efforts have foundered.
Library and Traverse City Area Public Schools officials are just a few weeks away from deciding (Nov. 30) on a new proposal -- one of the most promising of all -- that would add a new branch library onto Long Lake Elementary when the school is remodeled next year.
Plans call for the District Library to come up with about $700,000 in capital costs to build a library onto the new school when its $9.5 million reconstruction project starts in June. Right now, just $200,000 has been set aside, according to library board President Bob Thompson said.
The school district would own the building. About 2,000 square feet would be devoted to the public portion of the library, which would be scrapped from construction if the district library opts not to participate. If it is built, a separate entrance would give the public access when school isn't in session.
Former library director Mike McGuire summed it up: "We need to get some library service out there."
As of right now, there is no direct service to the township. The Interlochen branch is the closest, but for many township residents it is well out of their normal Traverse City-Long Lake commute.
Long Lake's library advocates have had more than their fair share of setbacks, but the current one may be the hardest to swallow. Once Traverse City begins the revamping of Long Lake Elementary, they won't be coming back for more for a long, long time.
That means this is likely the last time the schools and the library can piggyback on a Long Lake project; if a stand-alone library is built sometime in the future, it's going to cost a lot more than this plan.
If someone has a stimulus grant or some other source of cash for a worthy project lying around, now would be the time to come forward.
This must be beyond frustrating to those Long Lake folks who long for a library. There has been talk of trying to create a village center along north Long Lake Road that would include the township hall, the nearby elementary school and library and a few businesses.
It looks like that dream, along with hopes for a library, will have to wait.
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