UTICA – Licking County Library recently purchased a building in Utica that will improve space and accessibility for the Hervey Memorial Library.
The building is located at 115 South Main Street and is located south of the current location at 15 North Main Street in Utica. In a press release from the Licking County Library, it was referred to as the interspace that provides an entrance that complies with the American Disability Act (ADA), restrooms, and an expanded and more convenient parking area.
It also includes a meeting point for residents and community organizations. A highlight of the building is a drive-up window that enables mobile customers to quickly pick up and drop off books from their vehicles. The members of the library’s board of trustees hope to be in the new facility within six months.
“Libraries are the lifeline of a community and as important as a good school system,” said Ruth Campolo, LCL board secretary and chair of marketing, in the press release. “We want to provide the residents of Utica and the surrounding townships with a library that is accessible to everyone.”
The interim building is a short-term solution to meet the immediate library needs in Utica. The municipality can now choose between two options: either convert the old building or erect a new building in its place. The Licking County Library Board of Trustees and staff will seek input from Utica in developing public / private collaboration plans.
Susanne Sacchetti, Licking County’s new library director, is excited about the potential for improved library services for Utica.
“In my short time in Licking County, I discovered that Utica is a thriving and growing community,” Sacchetti said in the press release. “We are excited to provide this community with an accessible facility and to build on our library services in Utica. I see this community want the best opportunities for their students, seniors, and everyone in between. The Licking County Library can provide the resources, technology and programming to help people realize their potential. “
According to the LCL website, the Utica Public Library was founded in the early 1900s by the King’s Daughters, a local reading group. The village provided a room in the old town hall, and the electricity and gas suppliers provided heat and light free of charge.
On July 9, 1938, the Hervey family sets up a foundation and plans to make their Main Street residence the new home of the library. After the death of Amanda Hervey, the last Civil War resident, the second floor of the house was removed and renovated to meet the needs of a public library.
The Hervey Memorial Library officially opened as a branch of the Newark Public Library in 1953.
LCL has been operating in Newark and Licking Counties since 1908 and currently has eight locations: Downtown Newark, West Newark (Emerson R. Miller), Utica (Hervey Memorial), Hebron, Buckeye Lake, Johnstown (Mary E. Babcock) and 24 -Hour kiosks at the COTC Pataskala Campus and Legacy Park in Hanover.
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