Work continues at a good pace

View of the South wall of the addition as of May 22, 2023

The stone work has begun at the expansion for Keene Memorial Library. We are excited to report that the team was able to locate the same quarry used in the original project! The addition will look very similar to the existing exterior, which should make for a seamless transition.

We’ve just received word that the project is approximately 60-65% completed. That fits with our initial timeline, which is encouraging news.

Progress Report – March 2023

The Expansion Project has made great strides in the past four months. We’ve seen the dirt work and raising of the steel beams, and now the walls are beginning to take shape. See the photos below for a bit of a timeline.

The grand staircase in the empty library

Preparing the site for the steel which will form the expansion portion of the project

Getting ready to place the final beam – the fir tree symbolizes a work site with no accidents

Groundbreaking a rousing success

We had a wonderful day for a ceremonial groundbreaking at the Keene Memorial Library Expansion Project! Browse some of the wonderful photos taken by Kaley Schlueter Photography below.

Thank you bags assembled by our planning committee came complete with a cookie, water, donation form and a tiny shovel.

MCL Construction provided an excavator as a backdrop for the presentation. And of course, shovels and hard hats.

Our Mayor (Joey Spellerberg) with his wife Ashley, who helped organize the event.

The crew, hard at work! From L: City Administrator Jody Sanders, Friends Board President Denise Kay, Library Director Laura England-Biggs, Mayor Joey Spellerberg, Library Board President Linda McClain, City Council President Mark Legband, City Council Library Liaison Sally Ganem — The crew, hard at work! From L: City Administrator Jody Sanders, Friends Board President Denise Kay, Library Director Laura England-Biggs, Mayor Joey Spellerberg, Library Board President Linda McClain, City Council President Mark Legband, City Council Member and Library Liaison Sally Ganem

Members of the professional services team and steering committee — L-R back row: James Kramer, Brent Suing, Ben Gifford from MCL Construction, Bart Thomsen from Rainwood Development Partners,
L-R front row: Denise Kay, Jody Sanders, Linda McClain, Laura England-Biggs, Sally Ganem, Barbara Christensen, Greg Tice from SPT Architecture

Groundbreaking is scheduled

Join us at 5 pm Tuesday September 27 to celebrate the groundbreaking of the Expansion Project!

Support the Expansion Project!

The Friends of Keene Memorial Library are once again sponsoring the Expansion Project during the Fremont Area Big Give. Early giving is available now, or you can donate on Tuesday May 10.

We have an anonymous sponsor who will match the first $5,000 in donations, and the Rupert Dunklau Foundation matching grant is still in play. So you can effectively triple your donation during this campaign!