It appears the public library in Republic will expand, but it probably isn't going anywhere.
The Springfield-Greene County Library Board of Trustees held a special meeting on Feb. 1 and directed its staff to develop a Republic expansion project at its current property, 921 N. Lindsay Ave. The project would have a scope of about $10 million for a new building on the northern edge of the library’s current property.
The decision does not entirely rule out a proposed expansion west of the interchange of U.S. Highway 60 and the James River Freeway, northeast of Republic, said Library Board of Trustees President Rachael Morrow.
The decision reflects a renewed awareness of deadlines for using about $4.5 million in American Recovery Plan Act grants. The library board has wrangled with this decision since July 2023. By law, funds for the project must be obligated by the end of 2024 and spent by the end of 2026.
“The board has looked at a lot of considerations for the best location of the library, for patron services, the growth of the city and financial considerations,” Morrow said. “They have been trying to weigh what they felt like was in the best interest of those, and make the best decision. It’s been a difficult decision to make.”
More discussion is expected during the library board’s next meeting, set for Feb. 20 at a location to be announced.
During a regular meeting Jan. 16, board members spent more than two hours discussing construction and funding concerns. They called the meeting Feb. 1 in the wake of that discussion.
A presentation about bond options was also given during the Feb. 1 meeting.
An option for adding an auditorium and business center to the 10,000-square-foot Republic Branch Library was rejected during an Oct. 17 meeting. A reason for that rejection was never given.
Morrow said that option might resurface, if available funding shows it to be the best option.
“The motion was that our preference was for new construction,” Morrow said. “But given the scope of the project, we want to maximize resources to get the most library for Greene County that we can get. If doing something with the existing building is the best option, I think we would look at that.”
The district is working on two other construction projects using ARPA grants:
- Improvements to the Midtown Carnegie Branch Library at 397 E. Central St., including an elevator improvement, new HVAC system and more. That project is slated to begin in a few months.
- An auditorium renovation for the Library Center, located at 4653 S. Campbell Ave.
