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Berlin, Ocean Pines News Worcester County Bayside Gazette Logo Berlin, Ocean Pines News Worcester County Bayside Gazette

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New Berlin library still seeking funds

(Jan. 28, 2016) The Worcester County Library Foundation has raised more than $235,000 for amenities at the new Berlin library branch county government is planning to build, although the nonprofit still has a long way to go before construction can begin.
Funds raised so far include a $150,000 grant from the Humphries Foundation and a $75,000 matching grant from the town of Berlin. The foundation is hoping to raise an additional $600,000, which would go towards an early learning space, a local history section, gallery area, expanded gardens and community meeting spaces, and a 15 percent increase in overall circulation.
The new 11,000 square-foot building is expected to carry a price tag of $4 million. More than three times larger than the current Berlin library, the building would house more computers and Wi-Fi ports and an expanded area focusing on child and teen reading.
First, however, the library needs to close the fundraising gap.
“We are making progress with our fundraising efforts and are very excited about our ‘Bricks-to-Books’ campaign,” Jennifer Ranck, director of Worcester County Libraries, said. “We’ve had support from around the county – and beyond.”
The Bricks-to-Books campaign allows patrons to buy bricks that would be part of a “book walk” section or the garden area, and can be personalized with the name of a loved one, favorite quote from a book, or a similarly personalized message.
Small bricks, 4 inches by 8 inches are $100 and can include two lines of engraving, and large bricks, 8 inches by 8 inches, can contain up to four lines of engraving.
“So far, we’ve sold 40 bricks and we’ve only just begun the campaign,” Ranck said. “We would certainly like this opportunity to extend beyond the library community and are looking for ways to share our campaign.”
The Worcester County Library Foundation already received $2 million from the county, $430,000 of which went to land acquisition of a 6.4-acre parcel of land on Harrison Avenue next to the Waystead Inn. The state added $1 million in grant money.
The Worcester County Commissioners tapped architect Jeff Schoellkopf to provide design services in August of last year, and in November the county hired Baltimore construction firm Whiting-Turner to manage the pre-construction phase of the Berlin Library for a cost of $383,400.
In September, the foundation launched its capital campaign at the site of the new library. Ranck said the nonprofit group would hold another fundraiser in Berlin, at the Atlantic Hotel, on Sept. 16.
The foundation will also host a production of “Alice in Wonderland” at the Ocean City Performing Arts Center during Springfest, on Saturday, May 7 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Theater-seating tickets are $10, and orchestra seats are $15. Tickets are available at all Worcester County Library branches. For more information, contact the Ocean City Convention Center box office at 410-289-2800.
To date, no timeline for the start of construction has been set.  
“We still have a long way to go, but we’ve been very grateful for the support we’ve received so far,” Ranck said.
For more information on the Bricks-to-Books campaign, visit www.worcesterlibrary.org/printables/Bricks_to_Books_Form.pdf.