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.

As a result of that study 10 years later, a two-story, 13,700-square-foot renovation awaits a $4.1 million bond from the city to help finance the estimated $5.6 million project. The library’s 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 various bond scenarios were presented to the town’s Board of Selectmen.

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

Library Director Devin Burritt said 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 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, he said. 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 would total 25,040 square feet, and be LEED-silver certified to be as cost-neutral as possible in energy use. Rooms would include 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 would triple in size – from 500 square feet to 1,500 square feet – and would be somewhat separate from the rest of the library to control noise. The children’s room would be expanded following the same principle, because right now, “you can hear people through the whole building,” said Burritt.

The renovation can’t come soon enough, according to Burritt, who said staff and patrons are “tripping over each other” as the number of guests and programs increase.

There have been 10,000 items added to circulation since 2006, which Burritt said shows 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 the library, built in 1978, was last expanded in 1993. The proposed expansion should be the last needed for a very long time – if ever – to meet the needs of users, she said.

She added 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 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. Older patrons will come to the library to make puzzles, she said – not because they can’t do them at home, but for the socialization and stimulus the library provides.

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 ensure that the community is aware they’re “doing our best to take the tax rate down.”