$1 Million Approved for Library Renovation/Expansion Project in Madison

MADISON, CT - State Senator Ted Kennedy, Jr. (D-Branford) and state Representative Noreen Kokoruda (R-Madison) announced that the State Bond Commission has approved $1 million in state aid for the renovation and expansion of the E.C. Scranton Memorial Library in Madison.

"Local libraries have evolved over the past century from quiet nooks of solitude and study to active and engaging centers of community activity," said Senator Kennedy in a statement. "Libraries have become centers of knowledge for school kids working on homework assignments, to senior citizens exploring the world, to new college graduates searching for a job. For me, Scranton Library is also an essential gathering place for discussing local issues and community projects. I hold regular office hours and have attended many constituent meetings in the Community Room. Libraries are critical components in the functioning of our democracy. There is no fee to enter the library; the only requirement is an interest in learning and engaging."

Kennedy continued, “Scranton Library is the civic center of Madison, and I am pleased that my colleague, Noreen Kokoruda, and I were able to successfully petition our state government to ensure that the library became one of our state's top funding priorities."

“The E.C. Scranton Memorial Library is a historic building and integral part of our Madison community. I commend the Scranton Memorial Library Board of Directors for going back to the drawing board and then waiting patiently to be able to move their expansion plans forward. These funds will be used to fulfill their much-needed improvement goals,” State Representative Noreen Kokoruda said in a statement. “I want to thank the state of Connecticut for working with the library in an effort of improving the quality of life for Madison residents of all ages. In the future, I hope that Madison voters will join me in supporting this important historic asset.”

“It is absolutely terrific news,” said Beth Coyne, who is President of the Board of Trustees of the Scranton Library and who has been actively fundraising for the planned multi-million dollar library expansion. “The support from Senator Kennedy, Representative Kokoruda and the State of Connecticut could not have come at a better time. This funding will have a terrific impact on Madison, especially at a time when budgets are so tight. The more we can fundraise on our own and receive from the state, the less we have to ask from local taxpayers. That is a real plus.”

“I could not be more happy, or more grateful to Senator Kennedy and Representative Kokoruda for their consideration of this funding for the Scranton Library,” Library Director Beth Crowley said in a statement. “Senator Kennedy and Representative Kokoruda’s support for our library shows that they understand the important role that libraries play for residents of a town, and this state grant really gets us closer to town approval for funding as well. The more we can receive from the state and private donors, the less we have to ask of local taxpayers. I am just over the moon. This is a huge help!”

“I am thrilled that our representatives in Hartford have helped propel our efforts to renovate our town’s library,” said Ryan Duques, Treasurer of the E.C. Scranton Memorial Library and Chairman of the Madison Economic Development Commission. “Senator Kennedy along with State Representative Kokoruda’s efforts to secure funding greatly increases the likelihood that our plan to renovate the library building and add important community space is realized. The Scranton Library is an important cultural center, a foundation of Madison’s downtown, that provides everyday access to information, art, programming and more to the general public. Through this funding and other efforts, we hope to bring forward a responsible plan to renovate the historic library, which was designed by Henry Bacon, architect of the Lincoln Memorial.”

This is the second such state grant to the Scranton Library in the past six months. Last November, the Connecticut State Library announced a $1 million state grant to assist the Scranton Library in its plans to double its size from 17,000 square feet to 37,000 square feet and to add a 45-place parking lot. The library currently has no parking lot, and the community has requested its addition for some time.

“No on-site parking is tough for people with mobility issues, or for parents with small children, or for us to receive deliveries,” Coyne said. “This renovation and expansion is going to give us room for generations to come.”

Funding for this state grant come from a 1979 state law that was passed to assist cities and towns with urban development projects designed to promote economic and community development, transportation, environmental protection, public safety, children and families, and social service projects.