Arapahoe Public Library Will Be Celebrating Their One Year Anniversary on Sunday, August 7th
The Arapahoe Public Library is celebrating it’s one year anniversary on Sunday, August 7th. The public is invited to an open house celebration that day from 12pm- 3pm. The building will be open for the public to see how much has changed inside of the building since opening our doors after the major renovation that took place over ’20-’21. Nandito’s Food Truck will be on site and people are welcome to take their food purchase inside of the library’s new community room to enjoy. A slip-n-slide bouncy will be available for children, so have the kids come in swim gear and bring a towel!
One of the major changes that took place over this past year is the outlay of the interior. New bookcases were purchased with a generous donation received by Geraldine Steinbrink in memory of her brother, Sherle Schwenninger. These bookcases have created a permanent home for much of the library’s book collection that was sitting in storage and is allowing the library to grow. The members of the Arapahoe Mission Mall and the LWML also contributed to the purchase of new bookcases.
The library was awarded two grants this past year made available through ARPA funds. A formula grant allowed for the purchase of new tables and chairs for the community room. Up until this spring, the Episcopal Church was lending furniture to the library, which allowed them to carry out their afterschool programming. A library improvement grant was awarded that allowed the library to purchase outdoor Wi-Fi equipment. Working in conjunction with ATC, this free Wi-Fi signal was also made available not only at the library, but at South Park and with plans to expand the signal to the ballfield and to the city park.
The Friends of the Library Group supported the purchase of soft seating for adults and children. They also purchased steel bookends to keep the books on our new bookcases organized for years to come. The Arapahoe Public Library Foundation was able to fund this renovation completely from grants, donations and fundraising. The library received nearly half a million dollars in grant funds from the following: NE Department of Economic Development’s Civic and Community Center Financing Fund’s matching grant, Kreutz-Bennett Donor Advised Fund, Peter Kiewit Foundation, Ethel S. Abbott Foundation, and two grants from foundations that wish to remain anonymous.
Adam’s Construction donated their labor and dirt work to the project allowing the project to get rolling. ATC also provided an in-kind donation of equipment and labor to update the building’s internet service to the community.
Donations from across the country came in to support the project. Those names can be seen on the library’s donor tree found in the children’s section. More names are being added as memorials and donations are given to the Arapahoe Public Library Foundation. Volunteers for the library also undertook three years of fundraising using proceeds from the Arapahoe Gala to help match grant funds. They are excited to continue the tradition of service to their community that began in 1919! We’re more than just books, see you August 7th from 12-3 pm.
