A new director of the Longmont Public Library is coming on board as the city weighs efforts to expand the facility and maybe create a local library district.
The city today announced the hiring of Jon Solomon as the new library director. The previous director, Nancy Kerr, left earlier this year for a similar position in Eau Claire, Wisc.
Prior to accepting the job in Longmont, Solomon was the director of the Riverside County Public Library System, library and cultural arts manager in Englewood, Colo., and the digital services manager with the Boulder Public Library, according to a city news release.
“Jon comes to Longmont with more than 20 years of experience in working with libraries,” director of Recreation, Golf, Library and Culture Jeff Friesner said in the news release. “Jon will continue the great work the Longmont Public Library already does and will implement the work identified in the Library Feasibility Study.”
Solomon earned a Master of Science degree from San Jose State University and a bachelor's degree from Colorado State University.
"I am extremely excited and honored to be the City of Longmont's next library director," Solomon said. “It is clear the Library plays an essential role for the community, and I look forward to being a part of seeing new growth and creating new and innovative services for everyone."
Solomon’s first day on the job is, Nov. 14.
The city council is slated to review a second feasibility study of the library later this month. In its draft report, Sieger Consulting lays out some possible scenarios for library improvements, including forming a library district.
The first study — by Kimberly Bolan and Associates — found the library is heavily used by the community and popular among patrons. I also found the library, at 409 Fourth Ave., a block east of downtown, at about 51,000 square feet, was built for a population of about 68,000, according to city officials.
The city’s population is closing in on 100,000 this year, according to the latest city estimates.
Kimberly Bolan consultants estimate the library should be at least 85,000 square feet. A library built up to 100,000-square-feet would be big enough to handle Longmont’s future growth. The consultants also said the library needs more funding to bolster its number of digital holdings and expand library hours and activities.
Just over $35,000 of the original $50,000 budget was paid to Kimberly Boland and Associates, according to the city. An additional $50,000 has been allotted for the second phase of the library study.
The library may also be part of a proposed bond issue next year that would fund the expansion of several city facilities, say city officials.
