Shrewsbury’s Public Library has reached a critical point. As the intellectual heart of our community, the library has been a vibrant resource for the people of Shrewsbury. Aging infrastructure and continued water infiltration issues have resulted in a serious situation that must now be addressed.
The current facility is inadequate in size and resources. Repair work to address the infrastructure and ADA code requirements is estimated at $12.8M and would result in a smaller library with less usable space and limited parking. These repair costs are not eligible for the state grant reimbursement.
By moving ahead with a renovation and expansion project, a guaranteed $7.9M state grant coupled with significant private fundraising dollars covers 41 % of the project costs, leaving the town to fund the remaining $13.6M through a debt exclusion. The grant is time sensitive and awarded for this project only. It cannot be used for a repair plan or a smaller library!
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The Library Board of Trustees supports the renovation and expansion project as the most cost effective solution to the problem. It will provide taxpayers with a new, up-to-date library to meet the needs of our community for decades.
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The Library Board of Trustees urges you to vote YES for the Library Project on November 5th to accept the grant monies and make our new library a reality.
Sincerely,
Shrewsbury Library Board of Trustees
Laurie Hogan, Chair
Kevin McKenna
Carl Larsen
Joan Barry, Vice-Chair
Beth Casavant
Frances Whitney
Nancy Gilbert, Secretary
Frank Stille
Jack Avis
