The Kennett Library Board of Trustees will host a groundbreaking for the new Kennett Library and Resource Center on Thursday, Aug. 12 at 9 a.m. It will take place at the location of the new building, the corner of State and Willow Streets in the Borough of Kennett Square. All are welcome to attend.

“For over 20 years community members have planned, worked, and dreamt about a new regional library and now in 2021 that dream will become a reality, said Board President Jeff Yetter in a press release. “The Kennett Library is both a knowledge sanctuary and a community center. It is the soul of our community. It doesn’t matter who you are or what your background, the library welcomes you and has something for you.”

The Kennett Library serves as a literacy center for everyone from infants to seniors. In addition to the core services of any library, there are storytimes, in both English and Spanish to entertain and promote early literacy; there are ESL, U.S. Citizenship, and GED classes. In the last two years, the library helped 24 community residents become U.S. citizens.

The Kennett Library has served the community for more than 125 years in just two buildings. The current building, built in 1961 is outdated, has a basic lack of space for both materials and activities, the facility’s antiquated core systems — utilities, parking, access, storage, etc. — are seriously deficient.

Highlights of the new building include a 110-seat auditorium; Bayard Taylor Conference Room; children’s maker space; adult maker space; two classrooms; one multipurpose room; four tutor rooms; quiet and reflection room; computer carrels; several quiet reading areas; and an outdoor terrace.

Thanks to a core set of volunteers, many of them who came before us, we are now in the early stage of building a new library that will serve the community for another 50 years and longer. Thanks to our donors and supporters, both past and present, the Capital Campaign has raised 60 percent of the $20 million-goal needed to build the state-of-the-art library and resource center.