Submitted by Bob Warfield.
To be, or not to be, that is the question,
Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer
Slings and arrows thus aligned.
To wetted page did Tenzler close
By what choice may we now dispose
Or from that rooted tree renew
A thousand rings that yearly grew
And yet in closing duly vexed
We hastened mad, then de-annexed.
In doing so as we eschew,
This course with county in review,
We’ll chart a sky, with ease we thought
Until it dawned that we had bought.
The horse we’d sold, the saddle too,
And the same dilemma. Nothing new.
So, the Lakewood Library is closed. The Tenzler building, that much-loved iconic fixture with its enormous cross-cut slice of Douglas fir prominently centering Lakewood community as nothing else can is “worn out.” Some folks are mad, believing Pierce County Library System (PCLS) failed to save this treasured edifice from ruin as now brave citizens must. And the price to fix it up like new, calculated by experts, is bigger than that huge chunk of Doug fir – “$22 million” – at least.
Afoot comes a group of earnest citizens proposing separation from PCLS to make things right. The process is pretty simple and straight-forward, a committee, a ballot initiative and a vote. If a registered, resident majority says so, it would be a done deal, presumably paving the way for Lakewood’s pioneers to buy Tenzler and fix ‘er up – a few complications, wouldn’t be quick, but could be done. And it would show whomever is perceived to be responsible for the current state of Lakewood’s moribund libraries (we have two) that, by golly, “We can manage!”
Nearby, we have good examples of independent libraries: Tacoma and Puyallup. Each offers history and insight worth considering to weigh further pursuit of the separation under nascent consideration. On the whole, they are successful and inviting, perhaps enviable. But they are expensive and were established from a resource base that is no longer available (Carnegie) at times when the “cost of money” was less than daunting (1903, 1877 & 1913).
Looking back, it’s fair to say, Tenzler is a gem. Affection for its established place in our lives is strong as is a community sense of dismay that our assumptions and expectations regarding its “forever” presence and service were neglected. Whether some fault of responsibility for the condition of our libraries (Tenzler and Tillicum) rests with this PCLS administration, one previous or some association of library friends is now beside the point. Responsibility going forward rests with the current PCLS staff and board of trustees, and they are meeting that responsibility as any of us would – responsibly.
Looking forward, it becomes critical to observe that against contemporary American standards for the provision of urban library services, both “Tenzler and Tillicum” are seriously compromised library facilities. The one thing they each have going for them is “location.” But there’s the “rub,” Hamlet. Neither has existing space more than marginal to existing need.
The City of Lakewood in partnership with the PCLS convened a Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) to recommend remedial action. With help from community through survey and response, the CAC completed its work on October 26, anticipating a joint presentation of its recommendations to the Lakewood City Council and community on November 17. Then, it will be up to all of us to muster the will and imagination required to bring a library back to life for Lakewood and our Tillicum American Lake Gardens community.
The task ahead is not without challenge. City of Lakewood leadership is essential in partnership with PCLS. The imagination and determination of every citizen will be called to service in realizing a vision for cooperation and participation necessary to build our new libraries – matching the joyful welcome that Tenzler has shown over years of learning, sharing and informing the spirit of Lakewood community.
Mr. Bob Warfield,
Thank you your thoughtful, intelligent, and articulate expression related to the pros and cons of saving The City of Lakewood’s two libraries.
During my 40+ years of buying, owning, and managing buildings, I never had the end result that the Tenzler Building / Lakewood Library has recently experienced in being declared a total loss. That is because I always took care of the buildings in my charge accomplishing any necessary maintenance on time or ahead of time.
The current status of the building occurred on Pierce County Library’s watch. Perhaps Pierce County Library System, if they truly support the library concept for communities, should consider the benevolent action of selling the two library buildings back to Lakewood for $1.00 each. That may well leave dollar room for Lakewood to invest the 22 million you reference to bring the buildings up to standard.
Joseph Boyle – Former Lakewood Resident 51 Years
“Took care of ” explains the whole problem. Wonder why, over the years, that no one noticed
the lack of care or responsibility…The careless ones, are responsible for the mess we are now in, with no library. Maybe they should be the ones to repair it, not tear it down. It has good bones, and should be fixable.
Maybe citizens of Lakewood should receive a tax rebate for their portion of collected property taxes dedicated to library sources, being they are no longer have the ability to access a library within Lakewood?
This is a very viable idea. PCKS took our tax mo n ey, did not use it in Amy responsible way. They knew for years the degerred maintenance would lead to a serious decline.
Yes, so what has happened to all the taxes and bonds we have faithfully paid, along with the monies contributed by the Friends of the Library?
Who is generating these horrendous estimates?
A fixture in Lakewood that we have known our whole lifetime is now completely unsalvageable?
I beg to differ, and side with the gentleman proposing to buy back our Library for $1.00 and
refuse any involvement from pcls.
Just one look at the PCLB admin. bldg. tells the story. Maybe they should rethink their priorities and put the taxpayers at the forefront.
Thank You for stating the obvious. Being that the Lakewood Library (Tinzler) is closed due to mismanagement and neglect. So many people are so used to everything disposable and don’t understand the impact it has on society and the world.
If there is a design flaw in the building that makes maintenance difficult, change it. It seems to me they have had plenty of time and money in the past to do so. Maybe that is beyond their scope of management and they should pass the torch to someone more capable of that task.
It strikes me as ludicrous to even consider demolition of an iconic public service building due to lack of maintenance and mismanagement. Who’s responsible for the condition that the building is now in? It seems a criminal breech of trust to me.
Just my thoughts.
Thanks.
Our home was designed by same architect who designed the Lakewood library and was constructed at about the same time. As a result of responsible maintenance of our home by two owners it remains in very good, perhaps excellent, condition. I agree that the sad condition of the Lakewood library is the result of irresponsible stewardship.
This is a catastrophe! Everyone knows property maintenance goes with owning or maintaining any type of property – I question how often building (property) maintenance was an agenda item and how much time was spent focused on property maintenance and development of property owned by PC Library System, Does the PC Library system have a written annual plan for each building to have a documented annual casual top to bottom inspection and a professional inspection for each piece of property the PC Library system is responsible for? Where does these documents go? Who by name was listed on the agenda as responsible for the maintenance and improvement of all the real property owned by PC Library Systems. Question – who is responsible for individual building maintenance? Regarding cost I wonder how repairs and the maintenance system is used and who is responsible to follow thru with insuring a need has been addressed and resolved satisfactorily.
$22,000,000 in deferred maintenance and repairs? I don’t believe it! I’ve been a real estate investor/broker with retail, office, light industrial, multi- and single family properties for over 40 years and seriously doubt that the Lakewood Library would be in that bad a need of maintenance and repairs. Even at an estimated $400/foot for new Class A construction (not counting the land) for $22,000,000 you could build a brand new library that contained 55,000 square feet: that’s a single story building covering over 1.25 acres! How do you spend that much just fixing up a smaller sized building? Something doesn’t smell right and this needs to be investigated.
Indeed! Something is rotten in the City of Lakewood!
Responsibility for this massive 30-year failure and supposed total loss belongs to the Pierce County Library System (past/present). Period. This is precisely the point–especially in ‘moving forward, responsibly.’
If PCLS failed to responsibly manage and maintain our current library building, why would it be reasonable or prudent to entrust them with yet another building to use up and abandon? At the very least, PCLS owes Lakewood residents the respect of receiving this question in sincerity and answering it in the same spirit. They do not do this; they avoid frank conversations and pour their energies into pumping their campaign of social re-programming: “PCLS good; PCLS trustworthy; PCLS responsible.” PCLS plays the same tired political games that probably got us all into this ridiculous mess to begin with. This is obvious and an embarrassment.
PCLS has firmly demonstrated that it is ether INCAPABLE of successfully caring for Lakewood’s library buildings/properties, or that it willfully neglected them to the point of supposed total loss. Who gets to indefinitely put off the adequate complettion of the very most critical aspects of their job responsibilities for 30 years; incur double-digit millions in neglect, and NOT get fired?? No one I have ever met in real life. Shoot. This is some bureaucratic garbage, and we all know it.
Renewing partnership with PCLS under current circumstances is neither ethical nor wise. PCLS BLEW IT. PCLS owns no accountability for the extreme consequences of their chronic failures. PCLS offers no apology.
In what reality do we respect and take seriously adult professionals not even willing to opening and honestly step up and own when they have so seriously failed to such severe outcomes, negatively impacting others? For Pete’s sake…This is a joke.
Folks are sick and tired of being pressured into assuming they have no other choice than to accept these dysfunctional and unhealthy public relations dynamics. Alternative options and far healthier choices exist in abundance. Lakewood can and should do better.