January 10, 2013 – Construction crews are entering the final stages of our addition project, with drywall crews working inside and carpenters putting up siding this week.
The interior of the library is scheduled to be finished in mid-February. That means that by the first week of February we will be calling “all hands on deck” and recruiting as many volunteers as possible to help us move the existing furniture and library collection.
We will need plenty of helpers for different kinds of work, from shelving individual books to moving larger pieces of furniture and shelving. If you are willing to volunteer your time, please call Teresa at 715-476-2366 and she will keep you updated on the schedule.
The Mercer Library expansion is composed of 2 main sections: a side addition that will contain a children’s room, a meeting room/classroom, and office space, and a back addition that will extend the length of the building and give us room to grow our collections and add seating areas for library users. The project will also add an after-hours entrance to the Reading Room.
We will add about 2600 square feet of space, almost doubling the size of our library. The total budget for construction and furnishings is about $422,000. The project is financed by a Community Development Block Grant, private fundraising, a large contribution from the Friends of the Mercer Public Library, and a contribution from the Town of Mercer.
Although we have raised enough funds to complete the construction, we are still asking for donations from library supporters to help purchase the shelving, furniture and equipment we will need to make the most of our new space. If you are interested in contributing, donate online or call Teresa at (715)476-2366 to find out more.