By james art Hundreds of people have signed an online petition to keep a historic library in downtown Glendale.
The building that currently serves as the Velma Teague Library was constructed and opened in 1971. The library was originally established on the site of Murphy Park in 1917 at 58th Avenue and Glendale.
According to a design study update presented to the City Council by Jean Moreno, director of community services, the library “is nearing the end of its useful life and requires significant investment to continue serving the community into the future.” Concerns range from functional improvements to lack of offices and quiet spaces.
The city must now consider what will happen to the library in the future, including the possibility of demolishing the original building and moving the library.
Glendale resident Kathy Hoynes-Gore says she and others are having trouble communicating with the city.
“We have thoughts and we’d be more than willing to discuss them with the council, with the library board, with the city manager, but they’re not engaging the public, they’re not coming to us,” she said.
She supports the library’s preservation efforts.
“There are people in Glendale, in Phoenix, in Peoria who have used this library for many years and since they were children, their children, their grandchildren, generations have used the existing Velma Teague Library,” she said.
Hoynes-Goreé says there will be an opportunity to speak in support of the library at the Oct. 22 City Council meeting.