WELLS — In 2006, Patricia Prendergast, then president of the Wells Public Library Board of Trustees, decided to have a consultant study how well the library was projected to serve the community in the coming years and how well it met state and national library standards.

Now, 10 years later, a two-story, 13,700-square-foot renovation awaits a $4.1 million bond from the city as a result of that study, to help finance the estimated $5.6 million renovation and expansion. The Board of Trustees has pledged to raise the rest.

In a bond workshop July 19, the tax impact of either a new Public Works building or the library renovation, or both, were discussed and different bond scenarios were presented to the Board of Selectmen.

Wells Treasurer Jodie Sanborn said in a telephone interview Thursday that there will probably be a few more informational meetings before selectmen make a decision. In order for the bond question to make the November ballot, the approval process would need to start next month.

Library director Devin Burritt said that if the bond passes, the library will be shovel ready by July 1, 2017, the beginning of the library’s new fiscal year and the hoped-for start date for construction.

He doesn’t foresee the construction significantly impacting the ability of the library to serve patrons. The library will either operate out of half the building while construction occurs, or will move off-site temporarily. That decision rests on which option is more cost-efficient.

According to Burritt, Yarmouth just renovated its library and found that it cost less overall to move off-site because it allowed construction workers to finish faster.

The new building will total 25,040 square feet, be LEED-silver-certified in order to be as cost-neutral as possible in energy use, have a 120-seat community room, a genealogy and history room, quiet study spaces, a small café and a dedicated public maker’s space with a 3D printer and other resources that could be cost-prohibitive for individuals but useful for the community.

The teen space will triple in size, from 500 square feet to 1,500, and will be somewhat separate from the rest of the library to control for noise. The children’s room will be expanded following the same principle, because right now, “you can hear people through the whole building,” said Burritt.

This renovation couldn’t come any sooner according to Burritt, who said that staff and patrons are “tripping over each other” as numbers of guests and programs increase.

There have been 10,000 items added to circulation since 2006, which Burritt said shows that traditional core services are still being used. There have also been 1,700 inter-library loans this year, and the library had 4,400 active users.

Even winter numbers increased last year, which is atypical for a community that sees such a large population increase in summer months.

Chair of the Library Board of Trustees Amy Anderson said that the library, built in 1978, was last expanded in 1993. She said that this expansion should be the last one needed for a very long time, if not ever, to meet the needs of users.

She also said that the library “is busy all the time” and points to not just the amenities, but the staff for that.

“The staff is phenomenal,” said Anderson. “That’s key.”

Anderson sees the staff as among the resources the library provides, because of their vast knowledge and their willingness to share it with patrons.

“The library is an all-generation community center,” Anderson said. “You can tell how much people respect the library.”

Another resource Anderson said the library provides is a place for socialization. She said that some older patrons will come to the library to make puzzles, not because they can’t do them at home, but for the socialization and the stimulus the library provides.

“It’s here for them,” Anderson said.

So far, the public has raised around $800,000 for the renovation, and Burritt is “very touched by the outpouring from the community.”

Anderson is also grateful, and wants to be sure that the community is aware that they’re “doing our best to take the tax rate down.”

“We are very cost conscious and that’s important for people to understand,” said Anderson. “We’re all taxpayers and I don’t want [taxes] to go up either, but I know the value of the library.”

The Board of Trustees plans to publish data showing how much taxes would go up a month when they get it, but Anderson says the amount will be minimal.

Anderson also said that there is a building committee to help guide the renovation and expansion “so the community will always be aware of what is happening at different stages.”

The committee is comprised of people who have an interest and a stake in the library and who represent different backgrounds, including Burritt himself.

So far, Anderson said that the community seems supportive, but “we’ll find out when we vote.”

The architect for the renovation is Scott Simons Architects.