LEONARDTOWN, Md. (Nov. 2, 2009)—The Maryland Capital Grant program has awarded St. Mary's County $765,000 to support the design costs for the new Leonardtown Library. The funding was awarded by the Maryland State Department of Education, Division of Library Development and Services, under the County Library Capital Grants program for FY2011.
Eleven other projects totaling $8 million applied for the available $5 million grant funds.
The Board of County Commissioners for St. Mary's County has programmed $13,270,000 in its FY 2010 to FY 2013 Capital Budget for the new library.
The Commissioners cited circulation statistics for the Leonardtown Library to justify the need for a larger facility. During September 2009, Leonardtown Library had 1,024 visitors per day, checking out 1,619 items and logging 160 public computer uses. In FY2009 the total circulation increased by 11% and the circulation has increased by 19% from July 1, 2009 to present.
A countywide facilities study recommended this project, and the county's capital budget allocated significant funding to meet the required 50% match, according to Alan Dillingham, President of the Board of Library Trustees.