Photo/Bonnie Adams
By Bonnie Adams, Managing Editor
Shrewsbury – Central One Federal Credit Union has made a donation of $25,000 to the Shrewsbury Public Library Foundation's Building for the Future capital campaign. The donation is in support of the foundation's $1.75 million philanthropic effort to support the $23.3 million expansion and revitalization of the library building.
David L”Ecuyer, the president and CEO of Central One, formally presented the check to the foundation's capital campaign co-chairs Mary Casey and Matt Hogan Aug. 5 in a ceremony held ?at the library.
Voters approved the expansion of the library in a special election held last fall. The town will receive approximately $8 million from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners for the project. The town's portion, $13.3 million, will be funded through debt exclusion as well as the fundraising capital campaign. The campaign has raised $924,000 to date.
Central One's support for the effort began in the early planning phases for an improved library building.
“We were so pleased voters approved the project last fall and are glad that the library project is moving forward,” L”Ecuyer said. “Our library is used by over 70 percent of the community and provides learning and enrichment for all ages. There are early literacy programs for children, employment and language services for adults, and programs to keep teens engaged in positive ways. We see it as a vital community resource. And this facility is one of the real “treasures” in downtown Shrewsbury. All of us at Central One are proud to play a role in its revitalization.”
The co-chairs thanked L”Ecuyer for the bank's donation.
“It is gratifying to have the participation of Central One in this endeavor,” Casey said. “Their generous gift will help complete this project, and create a modern and efficient library building more suited to community needs.”
“In both the generosity of their gift and their early backing of the project, Central One has and continues to play a significant role in the campaign,” Hogan added. “Central One is committed to supporting many programs that directly impact the quality of life for all demographics in Shrewsbury.”
Hogan noted that with an average of 1,000 patrons a day, the Shrewsbury Public Library is the second busiest library in the state. Just under 500,000 items were circulated last year, he said.
“It's interesting that this is the only part of the town where citizens raise monies for buildings. [Patrons] usage may ebb and flow but it is something they can use throughout their whole lives,” he added.
This fall the library will be temporarily moving to a building on the now- vacant Glavin Center property. The remodeled library will expand to 38,600 square feet, tripling the size of the Children's Services area. It will provide a dedicated service space for teens, three times the amount of public computers, greatly improved technology services and enhanced and expanded study and meeting space. The project is scheduled to be completed in the spring of 2016.
