Everybody agrees

it's a beauty, though nobody knows how much it's going to cost.

To pay for

it, voters will be asked to approve a referendum an iffy prospect in a

year in which the city is considering raising property taxes 20 percent

to avoid going into the red.

Still, enthusiasm

was high last week when the Peachtree City Library Commission got a first

look at the conceptual site plan for the proposed renovation and expansion

of the facilities located adjacent to City Hall.

The Leo Daly

architectural firmwas on hand to show several renderings of what the building

could eventually look like, and about a dozen residents and library patrons

turned out to listen and ask questions.

"Your

library is a community gathering place," said Tom Findley, vice-president

at Leo Daly and the lead architect on this project. "Our goals are

to make the library a warm, open, friendly place that enhances and compliments

the beautiful plaza you already have."

Much to the

delight of the Peachtree City library supporters, the proposed additions

and renovations reflect a trend in recent years away from sterile, defeaningly

quiet libraries to buildings and features that are warmer and more inviting.

Among the unique

design elements considered in the new library proposal:

· A pyramid-shaped

cone of special translucent glass will rise above a new entrance, providing

natural light to a new children's section.

·A new,

separate adult section will feature bay windows doubling as reading nooks

that overlook the woods and lake behind the library. One of the bay windows

looked out from a teen room, where teens can study together or listen

to music as they study.

·Services

for older readers, such as large print books, computer training, quiet

seating and reading areas, and better lighting both natural and artificial

will be considered in the new design. It also sports smaller study or

meeting rooms where four to six people can work together.

·One section

includes a fireplace to provide a cozy reading environment in colder months.

The renovation

won't just be asthetical. The expansion is necessary to correct several

long-standing architectural and mechanical problems that have plagued

the library for years, Gaddo said.

The roof, which

currently leaks in spite of regular repairs, will be totally re-done.

The HVAC system will be re-vamped to provide better control of humidity,

another chronic problem for the library.

The renovation

will also improve security and line-of-sight issues that currently exist,

said Gaddo.

"The library

is now so overcrowded and poorly designed that the staff cannot effectively

monitor all parts of the it efficiently."

Last week's

meeting was the second public workshop held to obtain public input on

the proposed design. Another workshop is scheduled for Aug. 28 at 7 p.m.

At that meeting,

The Leo Daly Company is expected to have detailed cost estimates a key

determination in whether or not the project can be put before the voters

in the form of a referendum on the November general election ballot.

The Library

Commission is planning to officially make the request of the City Council

at the Sept. 4 council meeting.