Architect’s rendering of the planned new library building to be built in Kimball. The design is prairie-style, and the facility will accommodate the library’s collections, study areas, and community space.
The City of Kimball has been awarded a $439,511.97 Library Construction Grant from the Minnesota Department of Education for a new Kimball Area Public Library building at 50 Spruce Avenue West. The Library Construction Grant is a competitive dollar-for-dollar matching grant program providing public libraries with funding for construction, renovation and improvement projects that result in more accessible and energy efficient library facilities. The program is authorized biennially by the Minnesota Legislature. The 2018 Minnesota Legislature allocated a total of $1,000,000 to the program. In addition, approximately $400,000 of the allocation from the 2017 bonding bill was available to award as grants, for a total of $1,400,000.
On Oct. 25, 2018, the City of Kimball, with the support of the Kimball Public Library Task Force, submitted a Library Construction Grant application for $1,121,204 that included a local match of $560,602. This local match included $430,701 in cash and pledges and $78,240 of in-kind to cover project costs. The State of Minnesota’s grant offer came in $121,090 less than the City of Kimball’s application, that will require the city and the Kimball Library Building Task Force to review the building project budget and discuss additional fundraising efforts. However, project volunteers are extremely confident that they can raise the additional funds, if necessary. Between local contributions and the state grant, the community has most of the project costs covered. In fact, since Kimball submitted its grant application
Oct. 25, the cash/pledges have grown to nearly $437,000 with strong interest in the project going forward.
“The City of Kimball and the greater community is appreciative of the opportunity to bring the State Library Construction Grant funding to the Kimball area for a much-needed new building and a much-deserved project,” said Tammy Konz, mayor of the City of Kimball and co-chair of the Kimball Public Library Building Task Force. “This nearly fully funded match not only shows the State of Minnesota’s support of our library building project, it also recognizes the local efforts made to make such a building possible in our community. This project would not be possible without the community’s belief in the library and the financial support of more than 250 individuals, businesses and organizations.”
“Get ready! A new library is just around the corner in our community library’s 50th anniversary year. I would like to thank the State of Minnesota, the Great River Regional Library System, surrounding townships, and in particular, Maine Prairie Township, our generous local businesses, active community organizations and residents,” said Konz. “We truly are the little community who could.”
Representatives of the City of Kimball and the task force will be meeting soon to discuss next steps, including reviewing the state’s paperwork requirements, organizing a building project committee, outlining a project timeline, and developing a communications plan to keep the community and supporters informed throughout the building project.
To learn more, to get involved, and to be added to the Kimball Public Library Building Project email distribution list, please email kimballlibrarybuilding
project@gmail.com.
The Kimball Public Library Building Task Force was formed in 2017 to address the library space needs and requirements and successfully worked to develop a building and fundraising plan for a new 4,200 square-foot library at the corners of Spruce Avenue and Elm Street in downtown Kimball. Plans were publicly unveiled in July 2018. To see the plans or make a donation, go to www.kimball-library.org, or stop by the Kimball Area Public Library.