The Petersburgh Public Library is pleased to announce that renovations at the Library are completed. In celebration of this event the public is invited to an open house on Wednesday, January 21, from 4 to 6 pm.
At the open house the newly renovated lower level will be open for display and there will be a visual presentation of historic pictures of Petersburgh which will be playing throughout the time of the open house. Our thanks go to Bill Reynolds who donated slides to the Library, which have since been digitized. In addition, the presentation will include slides from the early 1900s showing businesses, schools and life in Petersburgh. Thanks go to Nancy Burstein for these slides which were part of the historic Petersburgh kit at the Library. Also part of the presentation will be pictures from the founding of the Library and the re-opening of the Library in 1978 after the fire. We also thank Steve Hodges for scanning the slides and photos to make the presentation possible.
The Library Board began plans for renovations in 1997 after the Town Hall was moved to the old Petersburgh School following completion of renovations to that building. In 1998 the Library moved to a room in the new Town Hall location for nine weeks while the first project was completed in the Library. The main part of the Library was changed from the library, Town meeting room, Supervisor’s office, Town Clerk’s office and bathrooms to one large library room. Many volunteers helped move shelves, 600+ boxes of books, which had been stored in the lower level, and everything which had been moved to the room in the Town Hall so that the Library was never closed. On Saturday, July 11, 1998, the Library was in the Town Hall and on the following Monday we opened the new space.
In 2001 the next renovation project included enclosing the vestibule to assist in providing a windbreak and beginning renovations of the lower level with the available funds. In 2006 it was necessary to build a mini-addition to the Library to make a staircase to the lower level. Then, in 2008 renovations to the lower level were completed and a handicapped accessible lift was installed so that the lower level will be accessible by everyone.
The Library Board has worked very hard to raise funds so that none of the renovations had to be paid for by local tax funds. Townwide mailings were sent out to tell of the planned renovations, and Petersburgh residents were generous in their support of the Library. Grants were written for State Library construction funds, Rensselaer County funds, member legislative funds and private foundations including the Howard and Bush Foundation and the Troy Savings Bank Foundation. Businesses were contacted and some sent donations. In addition the Library has been holding an annual plant, book and bake sale. Ann Lindsay donated bookmarks which were sold to benefit the renovation fund. Tote bags were sold, books were sold on-line and raffles were held with donated items. Local musicians put on concerts for the Library. Over the years whatever anyone thought of to help raise funds was tried.
We invite everyone to join us in the celebration of the completion of renovations. Light refreshments will be served by Diane Mosher’s catering class from Berlin Central School.