The Chester County Library and District Center was among 18 libraries across Pennsylvania to be awarded a 2020 Keystone Grant for Public Library facilities by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

Grants are awarded on a competitive basis and pay up to 50 percent of eligible costs for capital improvement plans to plan, acquire, construct, or rehabilitate public library facilities only and do not cover any operating costs.

The grant proposal submitted jointly by the County of Chester and the Chester County Library was selected for funding, and Chester County Library will be granted $387,500 for first-floor renovations. These capital improvement plans include:

• making the lobby and circulation area more accessible for wheelchairs, scooters, and strollers
• providing additional seating for study and personal computer use
• creating more enclosed collaborative workspaces for private study or use by small groups, particularly for the business community
• relocating the Adult Tutoring space to increase accessibility to ESL students and tutors
• combining the Reference and Multimedia desks to provide one point of service to assist patrons

Work will begin in 2021, with a completion timeline of 18 months.

“We are very excited to have been selected to receive this Keystone Grant,” said Marguerite Dube, Director of the Chester County Library and Henrietta Hankin Branch. “As we constantly strive to meet the ongoing and future needs of Chester County residents, the First Floor Redesign project has been developed to achieve their priorities. The improvements that will be made with this grant will help to ensure that we enhance customer service and realize the aspirations of our community.”

The mission of the Chester County and Henrietta Hankin Branch Libraries is to provide informational, educational, and cultural services to the residents of Chester County so that they may be lifelong learners. Click here to learn more.

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