Fanwood Library Improvement Project
see the project FAQs here…
Update MARCH 2019
** The Board of Trustees, the building committee and the staff continue to work with our our architect John Veisz, of FVHD Architects & Planners, to finalize a plan that meets all of the needs and goals expressed by the public. The design opens the library to people of all ages and abilities, offers more and better community and library spaces, small and large meeting rooms, a business center, a teen room, brings the Children’s Department up to the ground level, supports current and emerging technology, and transforms the building into a sustainable community asset that Fanwoodians can take pride in, and one that will serve them now and well into the future.
The final design is close to being resolved by all of the stakeholders, and will be shared with Council and the public. We will then move forward to have all the materials required to be ready to apply for the state’s matching funds, which are critical to the project’s success, when the application window opens, hopefully this summer. This one-to-one match is made available through the NJ Library Construction Bond Act that voters approved in November, 2017. Stay tuned for new developments!
** The Board is working with a professional fund-raising consultant, the Friends of the Library and the Fanwood Community Foundation to begin planning a capital campaign seeking private, corporate and grant donations to offset the project’s cost to the public, as well as addressing more long-term development goals.
NJ LIBRARY CONSTRUCTION BOND ACT
** Although the NJ Library Construction Bond Act, which will make $125 million in matching funds available for public library construction throughout the state, was approved by NJ voters on November 7, 2017, the Fanwood Memorial Library, and libraries around the state, are still waiting for the regulations to be published that will describe the application process. The window to apply will hopefully open in the spring of 2019.
READ THIS ARTICLE ABOUT THE DELAY IN FUNDING.
The Fanwood Memorial Library will be ready to apply for Construction Bond Act funding at the earliest opportunity. Our plan will be in place for a beautiful, inspiring 21st century library, and we have strong support from the Fanwood Borough Council, the Library Board of Trustees, the Friends of the Library, and organizations and individuals throughout the community.
Thank you to all of you who voted for a strong future for libraries in NJ. Here is the latest information available: https://www.njstatelib.org/services_for_libraries/new-jersey-library-construction-bond-act/.
Securing these matching funds will clearly have a great impact on the Fanwood Library Improvement Project by providing one-to-one matching funds and significantly reducing the financial impact of the library improvement project on Fanwood taxpayers.
The design of the renovation and expansion of the library presents a feasible vision for addressing the long-standing physical needs of the library as detailed in the Strategic Plan, expressed by the community, and established in the review process by staff, the public, and the council-library building committee.
It opens the library to people of all ages and abilities, offers more and better spaces, supports current and emerging technology, and transforms the building into a sustainable community asset.
The original library on this site was built in 1951. In 1980 an addition was added.
For more information on the project contact Dan Weiss at the library.