Crozet's community blog
I’m (clearly) no videographer, but I attended the Crozet Parade on Sunday and happened to have my little video camera with me …
The Crozet Christmas parade is a neat little part of living in Crozet; and we saw some friends while we watched … it’s nice to be part of this community.
The Crozet Library has been delayed. Again.
This comment on cvillenews last week spurred me to ask a question about the Crozet Library’s traffic and circulation numbers. I remembered some data about circulation being high in Crozet, but could not remember (nor find) the exact numbers … I have bolded what I was looking for … John Halliday was kind enough to respond in detail.
That’s all we need is a new library in crozet. Can you imagine what a new library will do to the population of crozet. Lets move to crozet, they just got a new library. Population explosion in crozet all over again. BOS are finally getting it right, at least on this one.
I suspect no one has or will move to Crozet because of the library, but having a good library, as we do now, is a component of a community with a high quality of life. One that values knowledge, literature, community and the sharing of all three. Having a new, more adequately-sized library is a promise that the County of Albemarle made to its citizens and is a promise that they should keep.
Tim Tolson asked me to respond to your questions about the need for additional space at Crozet Library. Here (below) is some information you may find helpful. If you need any more information, please do not hesitate to contact me.
The current Crozet Library is 1,728 square feet. That is smaller than most private homes in Albemarle County. For many years the minimum square footage standard for public libraries, set by the State Library Board of Virginia, has been 4,500 square feet. Last January, the State Library Board adopted a new standard of “.6 SF with .8 desired” for public libraries serving populations up to 25,000. Many years ago, the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors, through the CIP process, adopted .7 SF as Albemarle’s goal. Based on those standards, if Crozet’s service area population (that is, the population within 6 miles of the library) reaches 25,000, the public library should be in the square foot range of 15,000 SF – 20,000 SF.
A rule of thumb in public library development is that when a building’s circulation of library materials (checkouts) reaches 25 per square foot per year, the library should plan for expansion. Here’s how JMRL’s annual circulation per square footage compared as of July 2009: Central Library, 11; Gordon Avenue Library, 25; Scottsville Library, 17; Greene County Library, 13; Louisa County Library 7; Nelson County Library, 17. The two Albemarle libraries that have been discussed for possible expansion are as follows: Northside Library (Albemarle Square), 34; Crozet Library, 76.
Crozet Library makes very efficient use of its limited space, but it is clearly overcrowded compared to other JMRL libraries and it is, in fact, substandard based on Virginia’s state standards. By the way, the SF standard in many other states is 1.0 SF per capita. So, Virginia’s standards are modest.
Crozet Library is the 4th most heavily used library in JMRL’s 8-library system. It is less than half the size of our 8th busiest branch. To give you an idea of how busy the library is, in the past year an average of over 5,500 residents visited the library each month. About 500 people each month visit Crozet Library to use its Internet computers. During a typical summer month over 1,000 children attend library programs.
Hopefully, that gives you a snapshot of Crozet Library’s current situation. Again, please let me know if you need more information.
John Halliday, Library Director
Jefferson-Madison Regional Library
201 East Market Street, Charlottesville Virginia 22902
Mike Marshall at the Crozet Gazette noted last month:
County leaders have notified the Crozet Library Steering Committee that they will recommend to supervisors that the project be pushed back yet again (it was originally slated to open in 2011) and not be considered for funding before 2015. This is ridiculous. Anyone who has been into Crozet Library, especially for one of their popular events, knows the old depot building cannot serve western Albemarle’s burgeoning population for another five or more years. The County should take advantage of currently depressed construction costs by either borrowing money, getting a slice of the $787 billion the federals are looking to spend on “shovel ready” projects, or by suspending the County’s annual tribute payment to Charlottesville—the so-called “revenue sharing agreement” in which only the County does the sharing—a sum which next year will run about $18 million. The library’s architects say that if the project is put out to bid by the end of this year it will cost about $6.37 million. If it goes to bid in the spring of 2010 they predict the cost will be at least $7.19 million. If it goes to bid in 2015, who can imagine. It will never be cheaper than now.
Cross-posted at RealCentralVA.
Some things don’t warrant a full post on RealCrozetVA. That’s why I post on Twitter throughout the week and provide the summary here … there’s actually quite a bit of pertinent information! (for a much broader and less-Crozet-centric Twitter view, you can see my main Twitter account.
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Courtesy of Fardowner’s newsletter …. Combined with the Crozet Mudhouse, there’s plenty of stuff to do in Crozet on the weekends!
Sat 5th, John Wyant Band
| The John Wyant Band (from Charlottesville) performs at various venues, including lots of community benefits – they recently performed for the third consecutive year at the September Peace Concert. Singer/songwriter John Wyant grew up in neighboring White Hall and had lots of opportunity to learn and grow musically through old-time bluegrass pickers, bands in middle and high school, and church. Feel free to check out this “acoustic island rock” band (bluegrass and country meet Jimmy Buffet)online and come out for the show! |
Fri 11th, Eli Cook & Book of Job
Blues phenomenon Eli Cook has played since the young age of 14 in bands (including the Red House Blues Band and ElectricHolyFireWater) as well as solo. Recent big gig was opening for B.B. King at the Paramount. Come check out Eli’s latest project, Book of Job (with Ryan Underhill, Brian Thomas, Josh Cornwell, Michelle Ford, and Torrey Patterson), for a soulful rockin’ good time!
Fri 18th, Eames Coleman Trio
Sat 19th, Raw Dawg
Sat 26th, HoBoJac…
Please note… All shows begin at 10 pm and are 21 and up. Full menu is served ’til 10; “pub fare” served ’til close.
If you have an event you would like posted on RealCrozetVA, please email me – preferably in a manner that makes cutting and pasting as easy as possible. 🙂
Old Crozet School Arts Holiday Open House today, December 5, from 2:00 to 4:00.
Demonstrations and performances by our faculty and students.
Punch and cookies and festive atmosphere, including a little snow to set the mood! www.old
Update 6 December 2009:
Old Crozet School Arts Holiday Open House postponed to SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12th from 2:00 – 4:00 pm due to yesterday’s weather surrounding Crozet!!
As much as I prefer to shop at local bookstores rather than chains, in light of the recession and the need for schools to earn money, the following presents an opportunity to support the Western Albemarle High School Library:*
A book is a present you can open again and again!
If you plan to give books as gifts this holiday season, please plan to buy them all at Barnes & Noble during the WAHS Library Book Fair, Saturday, Dec. 12 through Monday, Dec. 14.
On those dates a percentage of all B&N purchases made with a WAHS voucher—including café and gift purchases—will be donated to the Western Albemarle High School Library Media Center! The voucher is available on the WAHS website and here— please give one to everyone you know!
This year’s Book Fair Events include:
– Sat. a.m. (time TBA) – Harp & Flute Music with Darailia Evans + Grace Chiarella
– Sat. 12/12 @ 1:00 – A Jazzy Holiday with Spencer Kulow on keyboard
– Sat. 12/12 @ 3:00 – Morgan High singing with guitar
– Sun. 12/13 @ 5:00 – Willie D-E singing original songs with guitar
Far away friends and relatives can even support your child’s school library by taking the WAHS Book Fair ID number 583088 to any Barnes & Noble in the U.S. and making purchases on behalf of the WAHS Library from a distance! There will be a Wish List Table of books we would love to have donated to the WAHS Library Media Center. With the current budget climate, we need your support more than ever! So don’t forget to save all your holiday book shopping for the WAHS Library Book Fair at Barnes & Noble Dec. 12 – 14. Thanks so much for your support!
In response to my question about what percentage of the proceeds actually go to Western, Clover Carroll, the school librarian kindly responded:
“The more that is sold with WAHS vouchers on those dates (Dec. 12-14), the larger percentage we earn. We usually make the cutoff for 20%, but not always. One of the reasons we have added the cheesecake sale this year is to bump up that bottom line figure. The important thing to emphasize is that only purchases made with a WAHS voucher count.
The voucher is also available on the WAHS website, and in the front office and library here at school. If supporters forget to bring their voucher, they can ask for one at the B&N register or just give them the WAHS bookfair ID #583088. In fact, relatives and friends all over the U.S. can shop that weekend at their local Barnes & Nobles, and if they provide our ID #, we will be credited!
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Clover Carroll – 434-823-8700 or Jane Kulow – 434-293-9940.
* One question that I always ask when donating to charities is, “what percentage of the proceeds actually go to the charity?” They requested that I not publicize those numbers here, but if you’re curious, please contact me and I will gladly tell you.
From part four of Charlottesville Tomorrow’s excellent series on traffic –
Scenic 250 formed as a grassroots organization in 1997 to protect the rural character of the highway. According to steering committee member Scott Peyton, it was a coincidence that the Virginia Department of Transportation launched a pivotal study of 250 that same year.
“It was a watershed moment,” Peyton said. “We had been previously unaware of VDOT’s plans to widen the road.”
VDOT’s final report in January 2000 recommended the widening of 250 west to four lanes between the US 29/250 Bypass near the Bellair neighborhood all the way to the railroad trestle crossing the Mechums River.
Scenic 250 vigorously opposed the road’s widening, a recommendation that VDOT made over the objections of the citizen committee participating in the study. The public argued that it made no sense to widen 250 when it ran parallel to the existing I-64.
With the strong support of Supervisor Sally H. Thomas, the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution in May 2000 that committed the county to protecting the road as a two-lane scenic corridor all the way west to the county line. VDOT conceded that 250 was used largely for local traffic, and if residents wanted to deal with the congestion, that could be a local choice.
Since 2001, the traffic on 250 west has increased on all the sections measured annually by VDOT. Near Yancey Mills and Old Trail, traffic is up by 28 percent as of 2008. However, the section from Miller School Road to the Mechums River is up 48 percent over the same period, and from there to Ivy it has increased 41 percent.
We’ve had Charlottesville Tweetups before. Now it’s time for a Crozet Tweetup.
?A Tweetup is an impromptu social gathering of people using Twitter, usually held at a restaurant, bar or coffee house. It’s not a sponsored or ticketed event, it’s just a gathering so people can meet face to face that spend time networking with each other online.
In short, it’s a chance to meet friends – in real life. Shake heads, have conversation, maybe a beer.
Crozet Lunch Tweetup
Just a friendly neighborhood lunch time get together…
Where?
Fardowners (Crozet, VA)
When?
Dec 10, 2009
What time?
12pm – 2pm
Will you join us?
Date: 10 December
Time: Noon-
Location: Fardowners in the Square in Crozet
#crozettweetup
The Crozet Mudhouse is (finally) 🙂 publicizing on Facebook the events they’re having. December’s going to be busy!
Location:Crozet Mudhouse
From Charlottesville Tomorrow:
The Commonwealth Transportation Board will vote this week on ways to deal with a $851.5 shortfall in VDOT’s Six-Year Plan. Among the cuts is nearly $7 million for Jarmans Gap Road, a key infrastructure project supporting the Crozet Master Plan, adopted in 2004. The project currently has an advertisement date of January 2011, but that is likely to change if the cuts are approved.
Read the whole story and get involved.
