GILLETTE, Wyo. — After years of leaking and multiple repairs to the space, the Wright Branch library has received a grant to fix its basement space once and for all. The Campbell County Public Library prepared an application for money the state had not yet distributed from COVID-era federal funds.
Named the Wyoming Library Multi-Purpose Community Facility Grant, the library was applying for $1 million of over $8 million of unused state funds. While some libraries had nearly a year to prepare their application, the CCPL had just a few weeks. Its 11th-hour application was approved by the Campbell County Commissioners in July, and the board announced it had been chosen for the grant at the Library Board meeting on Monday evening.
After half a dozen faulty repairs to the leaking basement, library system Director John Jackson said a priority of the grant-funded repairs would be to address drainage issues on the exterior of the building that is the root cause of the recurring leaks.
Once that is addressed, the interior project will be able to be completed through next year to expand and improve spaces for patrons.
“We’ll create a multipurpose space out of the largest area,” Jackson said, noting that next month’s board meeting would take place in Wright, giving attendees an opportunity to tour the space headed for renovation. “There will also be space for a teen area. We’ll be able to enclose storage, which will create a safer environment. Right now, the storage down there is separated by curtains, but it needs to be behind a safe, locked door and wall, and that will happen.”
Now that the library has been awarded the grant, another series of hoops to access the grant with county approval and a call for project bids must be navigated. As the project progresses, Jackson assured he would bring monthly updates to future board meetings.
