The new Dorothy Bramlage Public Library project is moving forward. Members of the Junction City Area Retired School Personnel received an update from Dr. Mary Devin and Library Director Susan Moyer this week.

The goal is to raise funds from the private sector and not use public money to build a new library.

The current 35-year old facility consists of 14,000 square feet serving a population of 37,000 people. That can be compared to the Abilene Public Library, which serves 7,000 people with 19,000 square feet and the Atchison Public Library which serves 11,000 people with 17,000 square feet. The proposed project will make the Dorothy Bramlage Public Library more proportionate to the size of its service population and more in tune with the needs and uses of today’s libraries as venues for community gatherings and activities. The new building will nearly double the library’s size from 14,000 square feet to 26,000 square feet and will include more accessible technology, larger children and youth areas, additional meeting space and more rooms for collaboration and additional space for library holdings and library staff.

The cost to build the new facility has been estimated at $7 million. FUnding for the project will come from a variety of sources ranging from a community capital campaign to national foundations, federal grants, and other federal funding sources.

To volunteer to help with the campaign contact Susan Moyer at the Dorothy Bramlage Public Library by calling 238-4311.