Dixon's Carnegie Library Earns Listing On National Register of Historic Places

It took a solid year of painstaking historical research and documentation, but the Dixon Carnegie Library Preservation Society's efforts paid off recently. Dixon's original library, a stucco-clad 1912 structure graced with classic decorative details, was recently deemed worthy of inclusion on the National Park Service's National Register of Historic Places.

“We're very happy,” said Susan B. Werrin, spokesperson for The Dixon Carnegie Library Preservation Society. “But, I want to emphasize, this outcome is not just for the benefit of our little group; we did this for everyone in Dixon.”

A controversy is afoot, however, about keeping the library where it is -- which allows it to be listed with the historic registry -- moving it elsewhere in town -- or else remodeling it on the current site, which again would destroy its historical significance. In this battle, the preservation society and the library administration appear to be at odds.

District Librarian Gregg Atkins says the library is "moving forward with plans to move the Carnegie around to face North First Street.” However, he added that the library administration had also considered leaving the current site and moving to other locations in Dixon.

Two choices under consideration for building a new, expanded library were the open space north of the train station, and another area in a development proposed for the south side of town, he says. “Starting over from the ground up would have been ideal, but then the bottom dropped out of the economy,” said Atkins.

About a year ago, the library administration seriously began focusing on rebuilding on the library's original site. The goal was to "construct a library for the next hundred years that reflects current thinking in library architecture," Atkins said. Unlike the current design, the library of the future features "an open and free-flowing" interior design with a minimum of load-bearing walls. This enables the library to fulfill its mission as a "community gathering place," said Adkins.

Unfortunately, according to Adkins, the Carnegie as it's currently configured and sited, interferes with the idea of free-flowing interior space. Unless of course it can be moved.

Location is, as with any piece of real estate, key to the perceived value of Dixon's Carnegie, and the Preservation Society's Werrin said she'd like to see the building stay where it is. "Siting of a nationally registered historic place is as much a part of a building's significance as its architecture. I think it is really a shame that the Dixon Library's administration hasn't considered any other plan except moving the Carnegie, which could compromise the National Register of Historic Places listing.”

“You can't escape the past," Werrin stated, adding "Dixon's Carnegie symbolizes continuity with the past and there's a value to that." She also clarified that listing the library on the National Registry of Historic Places doesn't carry any clout with preventing the library from moving forward with its plans. “The Library Trustees are on the deed," she said, "so they can do what they want with the Library.”

Atkins said the Library administration has been able to move forward with acquisition of property around the current library site. Funding was provided in the form of “Development Impact Fees,” about $1.3 million paid by developers to address population increases resulting from new housing construction. “That money came in before 2008. We've seen maybe $20,000 since,” Atkins said.

Now in order for the Library expansion plans to move forward, Atkins said a new bond measure for the amount of $19 million will be tentatively be presented to Dixon voters in November, 2012. Of course, whether the economy improves enough by then to put Dixon voters in a mood to approve the Library expansion bond at this point is uncertain.