The Barack Obama Foundation had announced on Thursday that it will be waiting for interested institutions to send in initial information about their proposals that would serve as guiding principles of the US president's future library.
USA Today said that the information needed by the foundation will include details about the proposed sites, transportation access and their communities. These information will reportedly be the first step where the foundation will find out whether an interested party could build the library successfully.
Longtime friend of the president and co-head of Obama's library foundation Martin Nesbitt said, "Our goal is to build a library of which the whole country, and hopefully the whole world, can be proud. Our vision is to create a space that reflects President Obama's values and priorities throughout his career in public service and serves as force for good in the surrounding community and throughout our world."
The foundation also added that it will be issuing a detailed request for proposals or RFP to the most competitive of all applicants who are interested in building the library, said USA Today. The Barack Obama Foundation has already revealed that it will be arriving at a final decision on which the organization will be choosing and where will the library be built by next year.
Several educational institutes have taken up the challenge to Obama's planned library, USA Today said. In 2012, the University of Hawaii launched the Hawaii Presidential Center Initiative to lure Obama into having the library built in his place of birth. Chicago State University, on the other hand, announced the formation of a presidential library exploratory committee in 2013. The University of Chicago enlisted the help of former chief of staff to first lady Michelle Obama, Susan Sher, to help them with their goal of having the library built in their area and even met with The George W. Bush Presidential Library archivists at Southern Methodist University to form a plan of action. Obama's alma mater, Columbia University in New York, also expressed their desire to have the US president's library built there.
