1999
The Library Board of Trustees purchased the Harvest Drive land in 1999 with a forward-thinking vision to secure a permanent home for a future Library facility. As the town of Louisburg grew and developed, so did the Library District, reflected in the steady rise in student enrollment at Louisburg schools. With plans for a new high school underway, the Board saw an ideal opportunity to acquire land for a new Library facility near the schools and the emerging Summerfield Farms housing development.
Using funds from the Capital Improvement Fund, the Board purchased the land while recognizing that the existing Library on Broadway still had many years of service left. Rather than imposing an additional tax burden while the school district focused on building a new high school, the Board prioritized enhancements to the Broadway building. To maximize space and improve ADA compliance, a renovation was completed in 2004—the same year students moved into the new high school on Aquatic Drive. As with the land purchase, the renovation was funded entirely through the Capital Improvement Fund, ensuring no additional cost to taxpayers.
2008
The 2004 renovation quickly filled with new materials and patrons. The Young Adult section expanded, Brain Bags were introduced, a Graphic Novels collection was added, and book clubs and Summer Reading grew.
With support from the Northeast Kansas Library System, the Board partnered with architect Hans Fischer for a new needs assessment, which found the Library’s 6,700 square feet fell far short of the 21,000 square feet required by State Library Standards. The Board explored expansion options, including the vacant Louisburg Marketplace strip mall, but it proved unsuitable.
In 2008, Treanor Architects proposed a $6.9 million bond for a 29,000-square-foot facility on Harvest Drive, designed as a permanent Library home. The bond failed by 306 votes. Public feedback cited concerns over the size, cost, and the number of vacant buildings in town.
2015
After the vote, we maximized The 206, expanding services despite space constraints. Grants funded laptops for computer classes, and we built a growing collection of donated medical equipment, memory aids for dementia patients, and cake pans for one-time use. More shelving and a computer bank were added, but programs outgrew our space, forcing us to rent venues like Fox Hall and local churches.
As the building aged, we renovated the exterior and roof. A feasibility study confirmed expanding upstairs wasn’t viable, leading to a 2015 bond proposal for an $18,000-square-foot facility at $4.25M. It failed by 104 votes.
2016
After an unsuccessful bond issue in 2015, the library took the opportunity to address the concerns raised during the campaign with the help of EveryLibrary's John Chrastka, a national library advocacy orgranization that works with libraries pro bono. The initiative that resulted from this partnership, called the Festival of Ideas, brought together a wide range of local business and community leaders. From 2016 into 2017, the group engaged in meaningful discussions to identify the broader needs of the Louisburg community—not just those related to the Louisburg Library.
More Information about EveryLibrary
2019
With the support of the Board of Trustees, Louisburg Library engaged Sabatini Architects to evaluate three potential building locations. Their detailed study outlines the pros and cons of each site, along with a cost analysis:
1. Library-owned property on Harvest Drive, located between the water tower and the post office
2. Marketplace Shopping Center, the current site of True Value Hardware
3. 1st & Mulberry, the current site of the Farmer's Market
Sabatini Architects - Library Building Site Study
2021
To continue the momentum toward a new library building, a committee was formed in 2021. The committee, consisting of Board of Trustee members Steve Fike, Janet Houchen, and Gene Schubel, along with Library Director Kiersten Allen, began planning for the new facility. Building on the outcomes of the Festival of Ideas, they aligned the identified community needs with potential services and resources the library could provide to address them.
The Building Committee also reached out individually to local business and community leaders, sharing how the library’s resources could support their work and benefit the people they serve. This personalized approach strengthened relationships and highlighted the library’s role in meeting community needs. We definitely don't LIBRARY like we used to.
2022
Mike McDonald and Shelley O'Brien from the Northeast Kansas Library System (NEKLS) began providing valuable resources and guidance to the Building Committee. In March 2022, they presented at a local Rotary meeting, introducing the Libraries Are Essential campaign. This initiative highlights the many ways libraries positively impact and benefit communities. APEX Engineers was brought in to assess the current building's stability and safety.
More Information about APEX Engineers, LLC
APEX Engineers Report - Current Building Stability & Safety
2023
The Building Committee partnered with Coneflower Consulting from Lawrence, Kansas, to conduct a community survey beginning in December. Open to all residents, the survey aimed to provide a platform for community members to share their perspectives on current library services, highlighting which needs and resources are being met and where gaps remain. In addition to partnering with Coneflower Consulting, the committee members toured libraries and continued researching modern library spaces and services to ensure the new facility would meet the evolving needs of our community.
More Information about Coneflower Consulting
2024
After reviewing several architectural firms for the new library building project, the Building Committee selected Sapp Design Architects early in the year. This local firm has a strong track record of creating library spaces that align with community needs and standards. The building design project began with discussions involving the Building Committee, Louisburg Library staff, Friends of the Library, the Board of Trustees, and our community. Over the summer, community members were invited to visit nearby libraries to explore modern library spaces and services. In September, Sapp organized a Pizza & Planning event at the library, where community members could share their ideas and desires for the new library space.
More Information about Sapp Design Architects
Sapp Design Architects - 2024 Project Recap
Pizza & Planning Event Photos:
2025
The Building Committee received the most recent renderings of what a new facility could look like. (shown below)
