Love it or List It for our Library?

Here's a crazy but perhaps viable idea: could the popular HGTV show Love it or List it be adapted for different teams presenting different visions for our Lake Oswego library?

The premise of the HGTV show is simple and entertaining:

• Love It: a Designer renovates the homeowners' existing house to make it work better for them.

• List It: a Realtor finds them another home that better meets their needs.

• At the end, the homeowners decide whether to stay and love their renovated home or sell it and move.

The fun is watching two competing visions, seeing the costs and possibilities, and ultimately making a choice understanding all the trade-offs.

Maybe we could involve the LO community along with experts in library design to create a fun way for people to share ideas and see the possibilities and trade-offs for our library.

Instead of two competing TV personalities, imagine three teams presenting options:

TEAM LOVE IT — Create a Library for the Next 50 Years at the Same Location

The existing library is a tear down but the land is owned by the City and a new library and parking structure could be built there potentially...

• What are the limitations of the existing land and space?

• We can't go up but could we create underground parking and create a wonderful new library on top of that? How much space would that give us?

• What would be the priorities for the space?

• How could people have natural light and views of nature?

TEAM REBUILD IT — Create a Library for the Next 50 Years in a new location with more space for parking and amenities

• What would a new library offer?

• What size, location and parking would we need?

• What would it cost to build and operate?

• What services and experiences could we provide?

• The City wants to leverage possible funds by building in a area with urban renewal funding across town in the Lake Grove area.

  
  

TEAM THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX — Different Solutions

• Rebuild the existing library and create satellite branches for specific needs?

  • Make the teen center near the schools at LORAC or somewhere next to LOHS?

  • Get private funding for a "maker space" that's in a separate building/location?

  • Recreate the Adult Community Center to be an inter-generational meeting and classroom space? And use the existing library land for a new building for a focused children's and youth area?

  • Create a branch for the library somewhere else with great views where people could go to meet and study?

  • Rent "Thirsty Caterpillar" (a private bookstore with an incredible children's area) for story hours there? Check out what they offer for kids and crafting

• Investing more money into more digital assets?

• A phased approach?

• Partnerships with neighboring libraries and community organizations?

  
  

My husband had what I thought was a wonderful idea last night: Could our new library be located along the river in the building that are next to Foothills Park and overlook Roher Park? There's plenty of parking. The view would be lovely. The new pathway would create a connection between Foothills Park and George Rogers Park. The building is now leased out to doctors and an event space.

• 300 Oswego Point is a multi-tenant professional office building located right next to the park's southern trail and parking area.

• 320 Oswego Point is the middle riverfront building, which houses professional offices alongside The Foundry at Oswego Pointe, a well-known waterfront wedding and corporate event venue. Check out the video from their website

  • Maybe the event center could stay and be rented by the City for events?

• 340 Oswego Point is a two-story, 16,278-square-foot brick office building at the end of the drive, renovated in 2020 and situated directly on the Willamette River.

  
  

We could make this a FUN community event!

An evening with:

1. A moderator (think HGTV host).

2. Architects and library experts presenting the options.

3. Realistic cost comparisons, including operating costs from financial people.

4. Visual renderings so residents can see what each option might look like.

5. Audience questions and voting.

6. A statistically valid survey among LO taxpayers.

The final question for taxpayers: Knowing what you know now, what would YOU choose for Lake Oswego's library future?

I especially like this because it moves the discussion away from simply asking whether people want a new library or want to save the old one. It asks residents to consider the trade-offs, the costs, the possibilities and the long-term value.

And it could be fun rather than another formal presentation!

What do you think? Send your ideas and comments to Info@OldTownLakeOswego.org