Mars library patrons want more space, says survey
Patrons of the Mars Area Public Library are asking for more space.
Demand for services at the library is higher than the building on Grand Avenue can handle, according to much of the feedback gathered in a survey conducted by the library between September and October.
The results of the survey were released on the library’s website recently.
“We do believe that the majority of the community wants a new facility,” said library director Janae Callihan. “We’re still figuring out where that new facility might be.”
Of the 533 responses the library received, the vast majority — 339 — were from residents of Adams Township. Another 89 came from Mars Borough, where the library itself is located, while 85 came from Middlesex Township and 20 came from Valencia.
In total, 55.3% of respondents said they were in favor of a new library, 30.6% said they were not and 14.1% voted “maybe.”
In addition, 66.4% said they would still visit the library if it were to move out of the borough. However, Mars residents were split, with only 31.5% in favor of building a new library, and an additional 44.9% voting maybe; and only 16 of 89 respondents, or 18%, said they would visit the library if it moved out of the borough. On the second question, 31 residents said they wouldn’t, while 42 residents voted “maybe.”
“We love being able to walk to the library!” wrote one respondent from Mars. “We love the children’s area. Please don’t leave the borough.”
When respondents were asked to list their desired improvements for the library system, 28% of responses mentioned space limitations at the library’s current location.
“The current facility does not have enough space for large, meaningful programs,” wrote one respondent from Mars. “This includes limited parking available to patrons.”
“Love Mars Library, but if possible, adding another reading wing would be reasonable for the community,” wrote one respondent from Middlesex Township.
Each of the four municipalities were responsible for administering the survey themselves and each one featured slightly different questions and formatting from the other three. For example, Adams Township residents were only given the option to answer “yes” or “no,” while all others were also given a “maybe” option.
According to Callihan, one of the questions on the survey asked respondents where they would like to see a new library built. A number of residents went out of their way to state their opposition to Middlesex Township as a location for a potential new library, calling it inconvenient.
“We left that as an open-ended question,” Callihan said. “We were just asking the public where they would like to see it. We didn’t really want to guide their answer. Some people wrote as a response, ‘Not Middlesex.’”
One respondent from Adams Township wrote, “Please not Middlesex Township. That’s too far and inconvenient for us.”
According to the website, the library board has taken no specific action yet on the feedback from the survey.
“We’re still working with our municipal partners and seeing what options are on the table,” Callihan said.
