The Delavan Aram Public Library Foundation (DAPLF) recently made its first payment of money raised for the new library to the City of Delavan. The picture shows DAPLF President Wayne Osborn presenting a check for $880,000 to Delavan Mayor Ryan Schroeder. Watching the check passing are (left to right) DAPLF Treasurer John Grober, Library Assistant Director/Youth Services Librarian Katherine Schoofs, Library Board of Trustees President Linda Zell, Library Director Michelle Carter, City Alderperson Karen Sempf and Interim City Administrator Nick Griffin.
From the press release:
The Delavan Aram Public Library Foundation (DAPLF) has made its first payment of money raised for Delavan’s new library to the City of Delavan. A check for $880,000 was presented to City officials the first week of November.
Nick Griffin, Interim City Administrator, explained “Construction of the new building began in July and is well underway. This means funds are now needed to pay bills from the contractors.” The new building will add an additional 23,000 square feet of net space to the existing 12,116 square-foot building at an estimated $11 million cost.
The City’s financing plan calls for most of the project cost to come from the City, but about $2 million will need to come from fundraising and grants. Wayne Osborn, DAPLF President, said “Our fundraising continues. I can share that DAPLF already has commitments for another $400,000, plus several requests for grant support have been submitted and are pending. We are optimistic about reaching our $2 million goal.”
Work on the project to update and greatly expand Delavan’s library has formally been underway since 2021 when moving ahead was formally approved by the City Council. That action followed five years of preliminary study and input from the public on what a new building should look like and what features to include.