Exterior upgrades coming to BPL

The Baldwin Public Library will soon undergo some exterior construction to become more accessible and safer for patrons after Assemblyman Brian Curran (R-Lynbrook) and State Sen. Dean Skelos (R-Rockville Centre) announced that nearly $4,600 has been awarded to the BPL in library construction grants.

The library construction grants were approved in the 2013 state budget as part of a $14 million capital fund appropriation to enable libraries to renovate, replace, and rehabilitate facilities.

At Baldwin, two exterior ramps will be replaced along with the staircase on the Grand Avenue side of the building. BPL Director Elizabeth Olesh said it is time to make the upgrades. “We want to be accessible to our entire community, and we want this to be a safe and welcoming place for everyone,” she said.

The project in Baldwin will cost roughly $9,000. The money not covered by the construction grant will come from the library’s budget, Olesh said.

“Libraries are such a great tool to our communities, and because they are experiencing dramatic increases in use, building them into a more efficient community resource is essential to meet the public’s demand for computer workspace as well as for research and/or recreational reading,” Curran said in a release.

In mid-June, Curran and Skelos announced that more than $235,000 would be allocated for libraries in the 21st Assembly District, which Curran represents.

“Libraries are a very important part of our communities, and making these capital investments will ensure that they remain safe and accessible to everyone that depends on them for research, education, entertainment and community gatherings,” Skelos said.

According to Olesh, a company has been hired to do the project, and work should get underway in the coming weeks.