The Centre County Library and Historical Museum has reached a significant milestone for the planned major expansion of its Centre Hall library branch.
The Hamer Foundation has awarded a $750,000 grant to the project, which will double the size of the existing facility to create a modern space of more than 5,000 square feet.
Pennsylvania’s Department of Education previously provided a $750,000 Keystone Grant for the project, and the Hamer Foundation grant now gives the library a strong push toward completion of its capital campaign for the estimated $2.4 million expansion and revitalization.
“The expansion of the Centre Hall Area Branch has been a need for many years. We are so grateful to The Hamer Foundation for recognizing the importance of literacy, technology access, and lifelong learning,” project manager Denise Sticha said in a statement. “With their support, the Centre County Library & Historical Museum can ensure that future generations of Penns Valley residents will find the enlarged space to be a welcoming community hub.”
An expansion to the rear of the library property will include a dedicated community meeting space with quiet study areas and a flexible meeting room to host library programming, public events and community gatherings.
Increased shelving capacity will accommodate more books, digital resources and physical materials. The project also will feature upgraded, energy-efficient HVAC systems, an enlarged entrance vestibule and improved family-friendly amenities such as a family restroom, a dedicated nursing room and a baby-changing station.
The Centre Hall library opened in 1997 with a collection of 6,500 books to serve about 11,000 people in the Penns Valley. Nearly 30 years later, it is home to a collection of more than 20,000 books and five public-access computing workstations, while serving a population that has grown by 20% to 12,500.
For more on the project and to contribute to the capital campaign, visit centrecountylibrary.org/expandingcentrehallareabranchlibrary.
