The Oregon Public Library is working in partnership with the Village of Oregon to build a new library. The community has donated more than $2 million to the capital campaign to build a new library. In February 2021, the Village Board voted to contribute $10 million towards the cost of the building.
Use the Share Your Thoughts form to ask questions or provide feedback on the new library. Additionally, you can contact Jennifer Endres Way, Library Director, at (608) 835-2322.
Capital Campaign
Visit our campaign website to donate to this important community project or for more information on the campaign. Contact Jennifer Endres Way, Library Director, at (608) 835-2322 or jway [at] oregonlibrary.org (subject: Capital%20Campaign) (jway[at]oregonlibrary[dot]org) with questions. The library continues to welcome your support towards the new library.
Planning in Progress
History on the new library planning process is available below. Please see current project information for the latest information.
December 2021
On December 6, the Village and Library Boards met together to discuss the new library location including listening session feedback, possible locations, and next steps. The Village Board took the following action:
- Voted to remove the 249 N. Main St. property from consideration for the new library.
- Asked the library to focus on additional information on two potential sites including preliminary site layouts and site-specific cost estimates for the following:
- Former School Site (Alpine Parkway across from the Food Pantry)
- Current Library block on Brook St. (including library/senior center/post office property)
- Requested soil borings be completed at the former school site. (Soil borings are already available for the Brook St. property.)
- A joint meeting will be scheduled for a future date to discuss this additional information.
Read more about the new library site selection below or contact Jennifer Way, Library Director at (608) 835-2322 with any questions or concerns.
November 2021
The Village Board and Library Board partnered together to host a series of three community listening sessions to obtain community feedback on the new library location.
September 2021
On Monday, September 20, 2021 the Library Board met with the Village Board to discuss significant site challenges at the N. Main St. site for the new library project. While some challenges were anticipated, it was only through the preliminary civil engineering work that sufficient information became available to fully understand the cumulative impacts on the new library project. These challenges would result in a library different than our community envisioned; one that may not accommodate future expansion, green space, or proper water maintenance.
Based on that conversation, the Library Board and Village Board will be working together to explore alternative locations for the new library to be built. This difficult decision was made to ensure the project results in a library that can serve our community into the future. The order of the steps that were taken in the project was determined by an agreement with the Village which outlined a detailed process for the library project to follow.
Read more here: www.oregonpubliclibrary.org/siteupdate or contact Jennifer Way, Library Director at (608) 835-2322 with any questions or concerns.
August 2021
Possible amendments to the zoning ordinances related to parking requirements are being reviewed by Plan Commission and the Village Board. Amendments were approved 8/16/2021. Preliminary civil engineering is being completed.
July 2021
The Oregon Public Library hired Vine Consulting as the Owner's Representative for the project. The next priority is securing a contract for architectural and engineering services to continue design development.
May & June 2021
The Village's zoning ordinances are being reviewed for possible amendments including to the parking requirements which would apply to the institutional category.
April 2021
The Building Committee met.
February 2021
The Oregon Village Board approved funding of $10 million towards the costs of building a new public library.
November 2019
Our building committee toured the new Waunakee Public Library.
October 2019
View our preliminary plans and share your feedback. Our design process is on pause while we fundraise.
September 24, 2019
Join the library and architects in the Oregon Village Hall Community Room to learn about the new library project. Get the details for this event.
August 19, 2019
Conceptual plans were presented to the Oregon Village Board and Library Boards at their joint meeting. Feedback? Please complete our new Library Plans Feedback Form.
August 9, 2019
Conceptual plans were presented to the Oregon Plan Commission for feedback. The importance of making the new library easily accessible by pedestrians was emphasized by the Plan Commission. The introduction of warm materials to the exterior was also suggested; this is currently being explored by the architect.
August 6, 2019
Concepts for the interior and exterior were presented with additional recommendations for updates.
July 23, 2019
Preliminary concepts for the building exterior and floor plans were presented. The building committee provided feedback for further refinement.
July 9, 2019
A new preferred option was selected as the conceptual site layout; this option will now move forward to additional refinement and development including floor plan and building design concepts. This was the modification of the layout from June 25 which would have required a variance; the newly selected option would not. This plan would allow for the saving of another healthy tree near the middle of the site (though not the same tree as the previous plan).
June 25, 2019
At the building committee meeting, preliminary site layout options that could preserve a healthy tree in the middle of the site were explored. One of these options was selected as the preferred site layout which will move on to additional refinement and development.
May & June 2019
The library building committee continues to meet with our architects to work on planning for the new library.
Building Committee Begins to Meet
The library building committee began meeting with our architects with the first meeting being held in April 16.
Community Input
April 2019
A Community Input Session for members of the public to share their input on the new library will be held on Monday, April 8, 2019 from 5:30-8:30 PM at the Oregon Village Hall Community Room (to the right of the entrance). Community members are encouraged to drop in to share what they'd like to see in the new library and give their input. This will feature a brief presentation by OPN Architects at the beginning of the session.
Neighborhood Input Session
March 2019
A Neighborhood Input session for neighbors of the future library (249 N. Main St.) has been scheduled for Wednesday, March 20 from 6:30-7:30 PM at the Oregon Village Hall. This is an opportunity for neighbors of the property to share their input on the new library and site before design begins.
Contract Approved
February 2019
The contract with OPN Architects (Madison, WI) was approved in a joint meeting with the Village Board and Library Board. Costs will be paid for with impact fees. The initial contract includes conceptual design and space needs assessment.
Architect Selected
January 2019
The Library Board has selected OPN Architects (Madison, WI) to complete the preliminary architectural services (conceptual design) included in our recent request for proposal. We are working in partnership with the Village Administrator and Village Attorney to pursue a contract with that firm. Once contract terms are agreed upon, the contract will be presented to the Library Board and Village Boards for approval by both Boards (per the Memorandum of Understanding agreement between both boards). Costs for these services will be paid for with impact fees. A separate contract will be needed for future phases of work.
Hiring of Architect In Progress
December 2018
We received proposals from a number of highly qualified firms interested in providing architectural services for conceptual design for our new library. These were carefully reviewed by the Library Board. Four architectural firms have been selected to be interviewed by members of the Library Board in January. The contract will need to be approved by both the Village Board and Library Board. Then we can get started on designing our new library!
Capital Campaign Recommended
November 2018
A capital campaign to be held over 18 months was recommended by Baker Street Consulting Group as part of a fundraising feasibility study that was completed in November. The final Feasibility Study Report was presented by the fundraising consultant to the Library Board on November 14 and then to the Oregon Village Board on November 19 in a joint meeting with the Library Board. At both meetings, the consultant presented an overview of the feasibility study and its conclusions as well as responded to questions. The Library Board voted to proceed with a capital campaign and set a campaign goal of $4 million in accordance with the recommendations of the feasibility study.
Request for Proposals: Architectural Services
October 2018
The Oregon Public Library Board of Trustees is requesting proposals for architectural services for the development and conceptual design of a new library facility.
The deadline to submit proposals is Wednesday, December 5, 2018 at 4:00 PM CST.
Thank you for your interest in this project!
Fundraising Feasibility Study
August 2018
We are excited to announce that the Library Board and Village Board have partnered together to conduct a fundraising feasibility study. This is the next important step towards building a new library. The main goal of the study will be to determine both the feasibility of a capital campaign and, if recommended, a capital campaign goal for building the new Oregon Library. It is important that the goal is achievable and practical for our community. At the same time, we also want the goal to allow us to build the best possible new library as it will shape library service to our community into the future.
Baker St. Consulting Group was selected to complete the study with Jim Radford as the lead on our project. They have helped many libraries with capital campaign efforts including the Hedberg Public Library in Janesville and the Central Library in St. Louis. A feasibility study is a valuable information gathering process in which community feedback is obtained on multiple aspects of the project. This feedback will helpful in planning both the new library and the capital campaign. The study is expected to be complete by mid-November.
Memorandum of Understanding Approved
The Library and Village of Oregon are working together to build a new library and have created a memorandum of understanding (MOU) agreement to outline the process. The current agreement (PDF) was amended by the Village Board on 5/03/2021 and by the Library Board on 5/12/2021. This agreement was originally approved by the Library Board on 9/18/18 and the Village Board on 10/01/18. Agendas, packets, and minutes are available from the Village of Oregon website documenting all activities in developing this original agreement.
Questions from the Village Board to the Library Board
July 2017
Before the anything started on the building project, the Village had questions which the library board responded to. Download the answers to the Village’s questions (PDF).