ADAMS TWP — A multi-municipality forum Thursday night hosted by Adams Township suggested expanding the Mars Area Public Library could be a joint venture for the future Mars Discovery Center.

Representatives from Adams, Mars, Middlesex, Valencia and the library met to discuss what the current building in Mars lacks — and how it can grow in the ways it needs.

“We're not here to talk about anything that's ever happened in the past,” said Russell Ford, Adams Township supervisor chairman. “We're here tonight to talk about where the library is (going).”

Library board of trustees secretary Nancy Hudac gave an overview of recent library accomplishments.

Recent renovations included installing LED lighting, purchasing new furniture, hanging new exterior doors and replacing the roof of the library, which is located along Grand Avenue in Mars.

Using surveys and public feedback, Hudac said the library still needs three ADA-accessible bathrooms as well as a family bathroom. It could also benefit from additional work space, a staff break room and extra parking.

“One third of the building currently is unusable,” Hudac said. “It's storage.”

This is largely due to the fact that part of the building isn't up to code, according to board of trustees president Steven Chadwick.

“It fails to meet wiring standards,” Chadwick said. “There are access issues.”

Chadwick said the initial capital cost of updating the building is roughly $150,000.

In 2015, Chadwick said the library building was assessed as being insufficient for providing for a growing membership.

The building's operable square footage is about 10,600 square feet. In 2015, the library estimated it needed more than 13,500 square feet to serve the populations in its surrounding communities.

Adding in six years of patronage and population growth, Hudac said the library is about 9,000 square feet smaller than it needs to be.

“We recognize there's a need,” Chadwick said. “We (depend) on all the constituent communities to help us.”

Frank Haustovich, an Adams Township resident and Mars businessman, suggested an “easy solution” to covering the $150,000 estimate was to have the library pull from its savings, checking and building accounts.

Haustovich said the library could then apply for a dollar-for-dollar matching Keystone grant.

“All your problems would be behind you,” Haustovich said.

But Chadwick said the library doesn't want to “throw good money after bad.”

“We need to investigate all potential avenues,” Chadwick said. “Until that (investigation) happens, we need to sit on the resources that we presently have.”

Working with Mars Borough Council President Mike Fleming, Ford detailed a possible collaborative solution to the library's space problem.

Mars borough secured a $1 million state Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) grant to go toward its Mars Discovery Center in 2019.

Ford said if Adams Township put $1 million toward the library expansion in combination with Mars' RACP grant for the discovery center, the two projects might become a joint effort.

The township already worked $1 million into its 2021 budget with the collaboration in mind. Ford said there's a property neighboring the library that might allow for the needed growth and be for sale.

“(It might) actually build a new library/discovery center right there where the current library is,” Ford said. “A possible new building that benefits the taxpayers of Adams, Middlesex, Valencia and Mars.”

There's already a “playbook” for such a collaborative effort, Ford said. The Adams Area Fire District was planned and constructed with several entities over the course of 10 years.

Fleming said a combined library-discovery center project has great potential.

“It's important to the well-being of Mars,” Fleming said. “We got a good foundation.”

Mars Mayor Gregg Hartung, who has been spearheading plans for the discovery center, said his contacts at NASA are prepared to support a “library for the future.”

“Libraries play a very unique role at NASA,” Hartung said. “We have a very unique relationship (with NASA).”

Representatives from Valencia and Middlesex voiced their support of a collaborative effort between the municipalities and the library. Fleming and Ford said there are no formal plans at this point, but discussions are ongoing and they hope to get community feedback.