LEONARDTOWN, Md. (Jan. 20, 2017)—The St. Mary's County Library announced the award of $1,091,000 from the Maryland Public Library Capital Project Grant Program. These funds will support the new Leonardtown Library project.
The new Leonardtown Library will increase space for the public, including meeting rooms, from the current 9,500 to 24,000 square feet. The new library will also have separate space for staff and library administration to work. Dedicated areas for children and storytimes, a teen area, a makerspace and computer lab will all foster learning and community use. Large meeting spaces will be available for library programs as well as use by the public.
St. Mary's County Government has been working with the architectural firm Grimm + Parker to create schematic plans for the approximately 48,000 square foot building to house the new Leonardtown Library and Garvey Senior Activity Center. Once the schematic design is accepted, final design is expected to be completed by July 2017 with bid and award during August 2017—March 2018.
The Public Library Capital Project Grant Program, according to Article 23-510 of the Annotated Code of Maryland, provides for the establishment of a grant program in the Division of Library Development and Services (DLDS) to assist in the funding of public library capital projects. This program mandates that $5M will be included in the State budget beginning in FY2008 and every year thereafter. Awards are given through a competitive application and review process.
This award is contingent upon approval of the current proposed Maryland state budget. The funds will be awarded in July of 2017, in time to help start the bid process.