Carnegie grant to support local library's restoration

NORWALK — The Norwalk Public Library recently received a $10,000 gift from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. It's part of the Carnegie Libraries' 250 initiative, a national program marking the upcoming 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. According to Grace Biro, the library's public relations and marketing coordinator, the funding will be used to continue restoration work already underway at the historic library building with a potential specific project in mind. "This grant will probably be used to renovate the front steps," Biro said. The project is part of a series of phased repairs the library has pursued in recent years to address aging infrastructure and preserve the building for continued public use. Some of the work was paused during the winter due to weather conditions. "We are in the early beginning process," Biro said. "We had to stop for winter weather, but we will be resuming in the spring." The grant comes after voters this past November rejected a 1.7-mill, 30-year levy for a restoration and proposed $14 million addition to the library at the site of the former Hill's Interiors retail store at 38 West Main St. The Carnegie Libraries 250 initiative recognizes the historic role libraries have played in American civic life while supporting continued investment in public library facilities. The program commemorates the legacy of Andrew Carnegie's library philanthropy by directing new funding to libraries serving communities today, according to the organization's website. Biro said being selected for the initiative was meaningful for the library because the grant supports work already in progress rather than requiring a new project. "We are really happy about it, and we look forward to putting that money toward something we have already been working towards," she said.