GOSHEN, Ky. (WDRB) -- Goshen which will soon to be home to a brand new library.
The current library branch got started in the 1980s, using what was originally a dairy barn that’s more than 100 years old.
“We're excited to finally be able to offer Goshen the library services that they've needed and deserved for years and years now, and I think it's going to be a great opportunity for the whole community," said Jessica Powell, director of the Oldham County Public Library. “Library services have evolved quite a bit since 1983 when no one was using home computers or anything else. So the wiring has always been a challenge in here over time. But also just the space."
Powell said the two-story space is a mere 1,500 square feet on each floor, making it a challenging space for people with wheelchairs or limited mobility.
A new library has been the dream for 15 years. But with scarce availability of land, especially along Highway 42, it took an anonymous land donation to help make the project a reality.
“I think it's wonderful," Powell said. "It says that people still believe in public life and they believe that public libraries are important and their communities are important. And we’re honored with a family that donated to us, to have the trust in us to be able to build on that.”
The land is roughly 5 acres and sits off Highway 42 about 1 mile from the current location.
Between the land donation and winning a competitive Kentucky Department for Libraries & Archives grant for $3.2 million to help fund the project, planning for the new branch has started.
“We know it's going to be around 15,000 square feet, so it is going to feel like 10 times the size of this building when people experience it," Powell said. "And it will all be on one level, and we're gonna focus on accessibility. We want to make sure that everybody in the community feels welcome there.”
The facility will also allow for increased programming and meeting and study rooms the current space can't accommodate.
In total, with new technology and furnishings, the library is expected to cost about $8 million.
"We hope to design ours in a way the building will last and be flexible enough that it'll maintain its usefulness for decades to come," Powell said. "We're just so happy to be part of a community that loves its libraries and to have been connected with a donor that felt the same way, and we just can't wait."
Powell hopes to have the new library completed by summer of 2024. To sign up for project updates click here.
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