Expansion Project History

Architectural Analysis
In 2018, the Sun Prairie Public Library contracted with FEH Design, an Architectural Firm based in Delafield, WI, to perform an architectural analysis on the library.

In May 2018, the library formed an Advisory Task Force, composed of community members and library patrons. The goal of the Advisory Task Force was to bring a recommendation to the Sun Prairie Public Library Board so that our facility will be able to meet the service needs and standards for the next 20 years.

The final Sun Prairie Public Library Advisory Task Force meeting was held Thursday, August 23rd, 2018. 

Recommended Conceptual Design

On December 9, 2021, the Sun Prairie Public Library Board approved the recommended conceptual design for the Sun Prairie Public Library’s expansion and renovation. The design can be viewed here.

The conceptual design process officially began in July 2021 with FEH Design. Previously, FEH Design worked with the Sun Prairie Public Library in 2018 on an architectural analysis, which demonstrated the need for an expansion and rehabilitation of our facility.  Since July, architects, designers, and engineers with FEH Design and Library Planning Associates (LPA) met with the Next Chapter Team. The Next Chapter team consists of library management team, library board members, library foundation, City of SP sustainability and media center staff, FEH Design and LPA. The team met regularly to review goals for success and the spaces, resources, and design best suited to accomplish these goals. 

In addition to regular meetings with the Next Chapter Team, FEH Design also held focus group discussions with Sun Prairie Public Library staff, the Sun Prairie Youth and Family Commission, the City of Sun Prairie Sustainability Task Force, and the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Advisory Committee to the Sun Prairie Public Library Board. On October 27, FEH Design also held a full-day in-person SPARK Session followed by a 2-hour formal presentation. These meetings helped shape and adjust the features and scope of the design. After the SPARK Session, five concepts were developed.

The Next Chapter Team met on November 9th and narrowed the five concepts down to three. Those three concepts were presented to the Library Board on November 11^th. The recommended concept was approved by the Library Board on December 9, 2021. 

The recommended concept ensures we meet the community’s needs for the next 20 years and is based on the latest census data, Dane County Library standards, post-pandemic considerations, environmental sustainability features, community resiliency, technological needs, community partnerships, and media center collaboration. The recommended design includes: 1) a collaborative library and media center makerspace, 2) outdoor programming spaces, 3) expanded collection and display, 4) more indoor programming space, 5) dedicated teen space, 6) additional study rooms, 7) sensory room, 8) single user accessible restrooms, 9) improved staff work spaces, 10) sustainability features such as solar panels, led lighting, and thermal efficiency, 11) atrium space and delivery lockers for before and after hours access, 12) drive-up window, 13) enhanced bookstore and café space, and 14) local history space.