Ribbon cutting ceremony at grand opening of new Dover Public Library
Ribbon cutting ceremony at grand opening of new Dover Public Library
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After nearly a decade of planning and 17 months of construction, Dover’s new public library is now open.
Dignitaries lined up outside the 46-thousand-square foot building before a crowd of about 400 excited patrons and friends of the library to watch Governor Markell and other officials cut the ribbon Thursday morning.
Margie Cyr, the library’s director said the new library will benefit the community as a whole.
"Our focus in this library is on the cultural development of the citizens of Central Delaware," said Cyr.
The library project had its detractors, who felt it was a luxury the city could do without, but Dover area State Senator Brian Bushweller says the reaction to the library's opening shows it has plenty of community support.
“If there was ever any question about the extent to which the Dover Community and the Kent County Community supports this wonderful new library, this turnout here answers this question,” noted Bushweller.
[caption id="attachment_30958" align="alignright" width="300" caption="VIPs including Gov. and First Lady of Delaware, Jack and Carla Markell, are present at the ribbon cutting ceremony for the brand-new Dover Public Library."]
Cyr says the new facility was built with the modern library patron in mind, offering much more than just books. It now includes dedicated space for children's programming, an outdoor performance area, and meeting rooms. It also has a jobs center.
“We saw a change in the needs of our library customers. They were beginning to look for resources to find employment, in this library we developed a small business resource center, which is the umbrella for the jobs center, the technology training and small business resources.”
The new Dover Public Library is located next to the Post Office on Loockerman Street and cost 21-million dollars to build. Officials say it was completed on time and within budget. It replaces the old library which closed last month after serving Dover since 1961.