ORWIGSBURG - The Orwigsburg Area Free Public Library may have a chance to move to fill a desire for more space.
The library board of trustees sent a letter Jan. 22 to Craig Shields, CEO of Barefield Development Corp., expressing support for the corporation's plans to turn the former FesslerUSA building into low-income housing.
"This development contributes to our goals of owning our own space to offer a better library to the community while supporting a project which will reduce blight and bring investment into the Borough," the letter states. It also says the trustees support the project and want to "explore in greater detail the parameters for the library to be part of the project."
Shields wants to turn the vacant 40,000-square-foot building at 216 W. Independence St. into affordable housing for people 62 and older who meet income criteria, pass background checks and other requirements.
Space for the Orwigsburg Area Free Public Library is also part of the plans.
Greg Stewart, president of the board of trustees, said the library appreciates the offer of the space.
Barefield will apply for tax credits to the state Housing Finance Agency for the approximate $6 million project. They may know in the spring if the credits are awarded, which are then sold to eligible buyers to reduce their tax liability. The cash would then be given to Barefield.
Construction could start in September or October and take a year to finish, Shields said previously.
By moving to the 216 W. Independence St. location, the library could have about 5,300 square feet of space on the first floor of the approximate 20-unit apartment building.
Another 10,000 square feet is available in the basement, but the library might only use about 3,000 of that, Stewart said Thursday.
The current library is about 5,000 square feet and is located at 214 E. Independence St.
Stewart said in an email, "The library opened in April 1978 at 132 Centre Square. In 1996, we relocated to 115 E. Tammany St., the former VFW building. Then on Sept. 9, 2001, we moved to our current location, tripling our space."
Stewart said moving the library could save money, adding the library rents the space at its current location for $1,200 a month.
"We would have liked to try to buy the building," he said of the 214 E. Independence St. site.
Of plans for the extra space in the basement, Stewart said possible uses include a conference room, activity room, offices, an information technology room and storage.
Director Claudia Gross said the library could use the extra space.
"We have a very small rural library," she said.
Her office is about 12 feet long and 5 feet wide, which she shares with other people. Stewart agreed her office is small.
Additional space would provide room for more books and other materials for patrons.
The library has 30,000 books, more than 1,000 DVDs, several hundred audio books and at least 150 ebooks and magazines for readers.
Currently, there are 2,900 active patrons who use the library.
The library occasionally has to sell books partly because of space constraints.
"No librarian wants to get rid of books," she said.
"A bigger space would be more community services for people," Gross said.