Campaign

Campaign History

The Dorothy Bramlage Public Library is a tremendous community asset and has been since the doors first opened in May 1983. While it has served the people of the area well it has done so in a space that is well undersized for the number of people it serves.
DBPL serves four times the population with less than 1/3 of the space of other Kansas libraries. A building of similar size in our state would befit a population of approximately 8,000 versus the more than 30,000 in the DBPL service area as identified by the State Library of Kansas.

To address this issue the library has worked with architects to analyze the use of current space, explore building concepts, and develop a design that could incorporate the needs of today as well as the flexibility to adapt to those of tomorrow. A building committee was also formed to explore these issues.

With an eye toward the fundraising that would be necessary to complete a building project, the Dorothy Bramlage Public Library Foundation was formed in 2016. It is a 501c(3) organization and its current assets are held in a fund with the Greater Geary Community Foundation.
With the foundation in place, the campaign to expand the square footage dedicated to public library service was officially launched in 2018. The Paul J. Strawhecker firm helped to organize the effort and began to work with community members to garner their financial support for the project.

How to Get Involved

Contact Susan Moyer, Library Director, at (785) 238-4311 to talk about joining the effort to build a new library for the Junction City/Ft. Riley/Geary County community.

How to Give

Donations to the campaign can be made to the Dorothy Bramlage Public Library Foundation. This can be done as a one-time or periodic gift or over a defined pledge period of 2-5 years. The assets of the foundation are held by the Greater Geary Community Foundation and managed by the foundation board. Click here to donate online with the DBPL Foundation Gift-Donation option. Contact Susan Moyer, Library Director, at (785) 238-4311 for additional information.

Building Committee

The Building Committee for the library project currently includes: Linda Brungardt, Tom Brungardt, Dr. Mary Devin, Dr. Lorie Goetsch, Susan Jagerson, and Corie Moore.

Plans for a New Library

Multiple objectives are sought in building a new, larger facility for the Dorothy Bramlage Public Library. These outcomes can be divided into three distinct areas:
To provide greater access to content and collections, objectives include:

  • Increasing accessible technology and internet availability with more
  • computer workstations to meet demand
  • Improving technology infrastructure
  • Increasing space for additional library holdings
  • Expanding print collections among the most actively used areas, such as emerging readers and pre-readers
  • Expanding audio and video collections
  • Adding space for staff to respond to complex reference questions
  • Adding additional technology training offerings
  • Adding staff workspace for social distancing, increased staff and staff longevity

To provide enhanced programming, objectives include:

  • Increasing children and youth areas
  • Providing sound-secured activity areas for children’s programming to limit noise disruptions in other areas
  • Designing flexible spaces for concurrent activities with various participating age groups, especially families
  • Accommodating study programs, including continuing education, English language learners, tutoring, and online classes along with individualized services such as income tax preparation guidance, job searching, and regionalized service providers with adaptable private spaces for meeting in a secure environment

To provide manageable options for addressing community service needs, objectives include:

  • Providing public meeting space to be available for use by community groups for member needs to avoid alternative locations and rental spaces
  • Incorporating a hardened storm shelter
  • Becoming compliant with energy efficiency code requirements, including wall and roof insulation, lighting, and windows
  • Becoming compliant with Americans with Disabilities Act code requirements, including accessibility to all restrooms, doors, and a staff kitchen
    Managing study, work, and test-taking stations with necessary volume control
  • Providing space for public-use equipment in addition to the traditional copiers and printers such as laminators, 3-D printers, digital format converters, etc.