The DeWitt Community Library (DCL) has announced the receipt of two major grant awards to support the library’s construction of a new 23,700 square foot library at 5110 Jamesville Road in DeWitt.
The library has been awarded $250,000 from the NYS State and Municipal Grant Program to support the construction of a creation lab, community meeting room and children’s learning center in the new library.This grant was made possible through the efforts of Senator John A. DeFrancisco.
In addition, the DCL will receive $155,762 in funding for property acquisition from the NYS Public Library Construction Grant Program administered through the Division of Library Development at the NYS Education Department.
“We are thrilled about these awards, and are especially grateful to Senator DeFrancisco for his support of our building project,” says DCL Executive Director Wendy Scott. “These funds will help us build a sustainable, modern library that will enhance the quality of life for the community for decades to come.”
For the past decade, DCL officials have been looking to get the library out of its limited rented space at ShoppingTown Mall and move into a bigger building so they can offer a wider array of services to the area. Their solution is to build a freestanding two-story library on a subdivision of land on 5146 Jamesville Road. The projects site plans to build an $8.3 million freestanding library gained approval by the DeWitt Planning Board on May 12. Library officials said they hope to begin site work soon.
Information and updates about the DCL’s building project may be found on the library’s web site at dewlib.org, or by calling 446-3578.
