Library Ground Breaking Ceremony – February 27

FOL Come Grow with usFriends of the Library Press Release
Submitted by Wilma Allen

Friends of the Library (FOL) is hosting a ground breaking ceremony to celebrate the start of the expansion and renovation of the Fernandina Beach Branch of the Nassau County Public Library. It’s set for 4 p.m., Thursday, February 27, and everyone’s invited!

“This is a huge milestone for the thousands of current and future citizens who rely on the library to improve and enhance their lives,” says Bill Flynn, Friends of the Library president. “Over 31 thousand patrons on the County’s east end, both on and off Amelia Island, will enjoy a new library experience when the improvements are complete about one year from now. There will be new spaces for children and young adults; a community meeting room; expanded space for computers and special collections; and upgrades throughout to accommodate new technologies and the growing population.”

Since the library is such a vibrant, dynamic force in our community, the celebration will include lively music from Brenda C. Kayne on piano and songs by Emma Love Hardee students and the Peck Community Ensemble, Flynn says.

Fernandina Beach Mayor, Ed Boner; Nassau County Commission Chairman, Barry Holloway; and Library Director, Dawn Bostwick, will briefly address the crowd. Although the actual digging may start a few days earlier, the ceremonial shovel will hit the dirt at about 4:30 p.m. to symbolize the start of our library’s transformation, he added.

The construction and renovation is being funded with $600,000 from the City of Fernandina Beach, which owns the building; $600,000 from Nassau County, which operates the library; and $400,000 from the not-for-profit Friends of the Library.

FOL has also pledged to pay for furniture, equipment and other needs from a $1.2 million capital campaign it started in late 2012. To date, over $654,000 in gifts and pledges has been raised.

For more information on the library expansion and FOL campaign, visit www.fernandinaFOL.org.

February 25, 2014 1:00 a.m.