The D.R. Moon Memorial Library set to expand ADA accessibility, access to technology, and community spaces with a more than $4 million grant from the Evers Administration
STANLEY — Gov. Tony Evers today joined local leaders in Stanley to celebrate the groundbreaking of the D.R. Moon Memorial Library expansion project, which was made possible with a $4.1 million grant from the Evers Administration. Originally built in 1901, the library expansion will benefit over 6,600 individuals, including many low-income households, seniors, and workers by expanding ADA accessibility throughout the library, building a fully equipped, flexible community room and dedicated space for kids, teens, and families, adding two computer labs with desktop computers, expanding the library’s collection, and establishing meeting rooms for use by organizations and individuals throughout the community.
“The D.R. Moon Memorial Library is not only a beautiful historic landmark, but it has remained an essential space for local kids and families to learn, grow, and thrive. After over a century, it’s great to see this historic library receive an upgrade to better serve the community,” said Gov. Evers. “From expanding ADA accessibility to adding dedicated spaces for kids and teens to expanding access to high-speed internet, this expansion will allow the library to serve more folks and families while preserving its beloved historic charm. I’m proud that my administration and I were able to help support this essential restoration and join the groundbreaking celebration in Stanley today.”
“It is through Gov. Evers’ forward-thinking nature and the love of books and education that the Flexible Facilities Program has had an amazing impact on our library project and many libraries across the state,” said D.R. Moon Memorial Library Board President Cathy Ryba. “The governor’s initiative has made an incredible difference in the life of a small, rural town, and we are so appreciative of this investment in Wisconsin libraries and their communities.”
Gov. Evers and local leaders at groundbreaking for D.R. Moon Memorial Library expansion
Last October, Gov. Evers announced over $115 million in grants to local and Tribal communities through the Wisconsin Department of Administration’s (DOA) Flexible Facilities Program (FFP). Among the projects awarded was the D.R. Moon Memorial Library expansion project, which will expand the existing library with two classrooms, a fully equipped community room, a dedicated space for kids, teens, and families, an expanded collection of library materials, as well as two computer labs with 26 desktop computers. The expansion aims to modernize and expand D.R. Moon Memorial Library’s facilities in an effort to support and enrich the lives of patrons and serve as a dynamic center for education and community connection.
Funded through the U.S. Department of Treasury Capital Projects Fund as part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s American Rescue Plan Act, FFP grants are designed to fund community facility projects such as public libraries, community centers, and multi-purpose community facilities in order to address critical requirements of digital and broadband access resulting from or exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic. The projects are intended to serve disadvantaged populations most disproportionately impacted by the pandemic and who have limited or no remote access to broadband. The funded projects must provide new, renovated, or expanded facilities, broadband/high-speed internet service, and other digital connectivity equipment and devices that will enable remote access to work, education, and health monitoring activities and resources.
More about the Flexible Facilities Program is available on DOA’s Division of Energy, Housing, and Community Resources FFP page here.
An online version of this release is available here.
