August 7, 2006

  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

  Contact:        Programming and Public Relations
                        410-996-1055 ext.129

 Perryville Branch Library Breaks Ground

The new Perryville Branch Library took a major step forward on July 11, 2006, when county officials joined library officials and supporters in celebrating the groundbreaking of the new branch to be located on Coudon Boulevard off Route 40 in Perryville.

            The event, emceed by library director Denise Davis, included remarks by County Commissioners Nelson Bolender, Mark Guns, Harry Hepbron, Phyllis Kilby, and William Manlove; Perryville Mayor James Eberhardt; and Dale Kerns, Vice-President of the Cecil County Public Library Board of Trustees.  “The involvement by citizens, officials, and staff has been wonderful and an inspiration to me,” said Davis.  “How can we fail with such a great group?”

The design of the 15,100-square-foot building features a stone and glass technology tower that will be visible from Route 40.  The building’s design has been planned to reflect the unique architecture of the town of Perryville.

The current library’s collection of approximately 13,500 books, audio books, and movies will be significantly expanded to include not only more popular materials, but also additional law, business, and medical  resources.  The new Perryville Branch will maintain a collection of approximately 70,000 items, five times that of the current collection.  The branch will feature a        children’s library, 25 public access computers, a technology training lab, a 75-person meeting room, a drive-through check-out window, self check-out stations, and a café.

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