The Austin Public Library will likely shuffle items outlined in its five-year capital improvement program to allow for renovations to its teen space, also known as “group project center,” next year, as opposed to refurbishing its heating, ventilation and air conditioning system as scheduled.

It’s an appropriate shift, according to director Ann Hokanson, because, “2009 is when that project belongs for us … we want to spread out what we do.”

Unsure of when the budget could accommodate the project, the library board initially considered fundraising in order to move its timetable up, and may still seek donations as the Austin City Council deliberates capital projects for 2009.

Hokanson estimated about a $27,000 price tag.

Design plans outlined by the library’s Minneapolis-based architectural contractor Meyer, Scherer and Rockcastle involve demolishing two study rooms and an equipment room on the east side of the building, thereby opening the area for tables, computers and shelves. A glass partition will be built across the upper half of the room’s west wall, which separates it from circulation.

The teen area, complete with a sign, magazine racks and sitting space, is located on the far west side of the building, near tables and chairs designed for quiet study.

Its new location will be adjacent to the circulation desk and computer room, which are bustling spots better suited for the work-group and youth activity, according to Hokanson.

She said in past meetings that the project, in part, responds to noise complaints from other library users.

Hokanson also presented plans to improve lighting around the periphery seating at the library at a cost of $9,000. Both projects replace a new heating, ventilation and air conditioning system, which engineers say is performing well, according to Hokanson.

That was pushed back to 2011, along with centralized off-site controls for technical uses.

Hokanson said she will also likely delay a new computerized system for self-check out, saying that the technology is available but not cost effective for the library.

“…It’s really expensive, so it didn’t make much sense for us to do that,” she said.

The new computer system may have allowed users to pay their fines manually, instead of requiring staff time at the circulation desk.

Instead, Hokanson said, the library may opt to utilize SELCO’s (Southeastern Libraries Cooperating) online system, still under development. They may also allow use of credit cards.

“We’ll have to see what SELCO can bring, and what we can establish in the city,” she said.

Hokanson recently reprogrammed the self-check out computers to allow users to see fines of less than $10. At present, people with fines more than $10 are told to visit circulation before they check out books, though totals are not given.

Hokanson said they decided to make the change after realizing the system had the capacity to inform people of smaller fines, and, despite the somewhat public showing, she believed people would rather know they have fines than not.

“We did just change that because it seemed that people would rather know they have a fine than worry about having people know that they have a fine,” she said.

The library may implement a new system in 2010.

The board also began preliminary discussions about new hours in 2009. Hokanson said she’d like to see more “concise, consistant” hours that could include Sunday afternoons and perhaps later Fridays.

The library may conduct a survey to gather public opinion about the change.

“I suspect that we should be open on Sunday year round,” Hokanson said, adding, “We would really be talking about, ‘Is it important to do?’ Right now, this is really in my mind only — no one walked up to me and said, ‘Boy, your hours stink.’”