BERLIN – Grant funding requests and reopening plans highlighted a meeting of the Worcester County Library Board of Trustees this week.
On Tuesday, Library Director Jennifer Ranck provided the board with an update on the Pocomoke facility project, a diversity grant application and plans for the library’s eventual reopening.
Ranck announced this week the library had recently applied for $1.9 million in capital grant funding through the Maryland State Library for the construction of a new shared facility in Pocomoke.
“We won’t know much until January when [Gov. Larry] Hogan releases his budget for next year,” she said.
In May, the Worcester County Commissioners selected a building scheme for a new library and senior center facility on a vacant lot in downtown Pocomoke. As part of those plans for a shared facility, a phase two environmental study would have to be completed at the site.
This week, however, Ranck said the library was still awaiting the results of that study.
“Design is on hold until we get that back,” she said.
In the meantime, she said, the library has applied for $1.9 million in state funding. Each year, the Maryland State Library oversees a state capital grant program that provides $5 million annually for the renovation, expansion and construction of public library facilities.
“That’s quite a big chunk of the funding,” she said.
Ranck told the commissioners last month the project was expected to cost $8.5 million, with the library responsible for $6.5 million and the senior center responsible for $2 million. The $1.9 million in state capital funding would only be used for the library portion of the project, should it receive the grant award.
Ranck also told board members this week the library system had applied for grant funding through the Maryland State Library to expand its book collection on diversity and to hire a diversity consultant.
“We don’t have anything quite like this,” she said. “In many ways that’s what the libraries are all about.”
Ranck noted that a diversity consultant would help library staff form a committee on diversity and partner with local organizations.
“We think bringing a consultant will help us do things the right way,” she said.
Grant awards will be announced on June 22.
At the beginning of June, the Worcester County Library introduced Library-to-Go, which provides patrons access to library materials through curbside pickup. The library system also reopening its book returns and brought staff back to each of its branches on a rotating schedule.
“It’s a measure we are taking if someone gets sick or if someone is exposed …,” Ranck said. “It’s just a way to keep safe.”
Ranck said the next step in the library’s phased reopening plan is to start taking appointments for computer use.
“The hardest part is not providing that computer access,” she said. “Of course we have WiFi access, but you would need your own devices.”
Until local branches reopen, Ranck said the library will continue to offer Library-to-Go services, as well as online programming.
“At this point, we are still closed to the public, and I don’t know when that’s going to change …,” she said. “We really want to see people back again.”
