Secretary of State and State Librarian Jesse White has awarded more than $18 million in construction grants to libraries in Galesburg, Winchester, East Dubuque and East Moline. The grants, which provide for permanent capital improvements to public libraries, are funded through the Public Library Construction Act Grant Program, a $45 billion capital plan passed by the Illinois General Assembly and signed by the governor in 2019.
“Our public libraries are cornerstones of our communities, and they provide the best information resources available to the public,” said White. “I am pleased to award these grants through the Illinois State Library to help maintain the infrastructure of the public libraries.”
The following libraries met the criteria and will receive a grant award:
- Galesburg Public Library – $15,373,257. The award will be used toward a new 68,000-square-foot library building.
- East Dubuque District Library – $433,172. The award will be used toward a $1,106,555 addition and a major renovation of all of its public spaces.
- East Moline Public Library – $2,653,119. The award will be used toward the conversion of an existing bank building into a new library.
- Winchester Public Library – $188,252. The award will be used for an addition to the existing 111-year-old historic Carnegie library building.
The amount awarded to each library is a percentage of the total cost of the project and is determined by a formula established in the legislation. Remaining project costs are a local responsibility. Applications for the grant program are accepted annually and due by April 15. Information concerning the Illinois State Library’s Public Library Construction Act Grant Program can be found at https://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/library/grants/publib_construction.html.
***Report Courtesy of Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White***
