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Sarasota News Leader November 16, 2012 en into consideration, she noted, in choosing the mall. Gulf Gate Library annually is one of the coun- ty's busiest libraries, statistics have shown. In 2010, county staff reported it had the highest circulation of all the system's libraries. It will take an estimated four to six weeks to remove all the materials from the current lo- cation to the mall space "and to develop the infrastructure necessary to resume opera- tions," according to a Nov. 13 memo to the County Commission from John S. Herrli, the county's land acquisition manager. In explaining why staff was recommending the mall location, Herrli's memo notes, "Staff Page 48 investigated available rental space within ap- proximately two miles of the present Gulf Gate Library" for temporary quarters. The site had to have a minimum of 8,000 square feet, 75 parking spaces "and telecommunications and other technology infrastructure either ex- isting or easily provided," the memo adds. The Westfield Sarasota Square Mall offered the county a cost per square foot that was $7 less than other sites staff investigated, Herrli noted. The county can terminate the lease agreement as early as Feb. 1, 2014 by providing Westfield written notice 60 days prior to the selected date, Herrli's memo adds. The Sarasota County Commission in late June approved a conceptual design for the exterior of the new library, completed by a design consulting team with Harvard Jolly Inc. Image courtesy Saraso- ta County