Leaders of the Lawrence Public Library have completed a $1 million fundraising campaign to help boost expansion plans for the downtown library.
The Library Foundation announced Friday it has raised $1.082 million from 272 donors. The library will host a ceremony at 4 p.m. Jan. 22 to celebrate the campaign.
“Our community has really stepped up and supported its public library in a big way,” said Joan Golden, chairwoman of the fundraising committee for the library.
The money will be used to help fund a $19 million expansion of the library that will include a new parking garage, and additional space for meeting rooms, the children’s area, computers, an outdoor plaza and energy efficiency upgrades.
Voters previously approved an $18 million bond issue to pay for the bulk of the expansion, but library leaders committed to raise $1 million to pay for several features ranging from technology upgrades and furniture. The group raised the money in a little less than a year.
During the fundraising campaign, 14 donors gave $25,000 or more and 131 donors gave less than $1,000.
The 20,000-square-foot expansion is in the final design stages.
Comments
Sunny Parker 5 years, 9 months ago
Yeah! Now only $18 million left to go. Plus the $100,000 annually for the one to manage the library. I love this city
Mike Ford 5 years, 9 months ago
sunny must not be one of those readers as the late comedian Bill Hicks referred to when accosted by an illterate waitress in a North Carolina truckstop.
pace 5 years, 9 months ago
The library will benefit this community for decades and for generations. My mom took us kids to the library, It is a gold plus destination. Many thanks to the community for their generosity and support.
pace 5 years, 9 months ago
The main library will be an excellent base, a gold plus destination which will encompass knowledge, information and community communication , not just stacks of books. Though I love stacks of books. I think we should do a branch as well, and increase the mobile efforts. I also think we should create a special local tax on booze, advertising, sports tickets and beverage containers and dedicate that money to smaller class room size and teacher and para-teacher teams. A percentage should be directed to increase or improve adult training programs. Education and access to information are real investments. If people move here because of our educational opportunities, we will be well served. The short sighted anti-education policies of Kansas will haunt us and cripple us for generations.
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