Story time always packs the community room at the Bennington Public Library.
“Boy you really have to get here on time or you are not going to get a spot,” said Librarian Deb Kois.
And once story time lets out, the tiny library quickly fills up.
“It's just not big enough for most of the things we do,” said Kois.
Library Director Lisa Flaxbeard says for 20 years the town of 1,500 has been trying to raise enough money to build a new library.
“I’ve only been in this community ten years and I feel like I can feel their pain,” said Flaxbeard.
It wasn’t until the fire station moved from next-door a few years ago, that a new library became a reality. The Bennington library will move into the old fire station. The city offices will then move into the old library. Only problem, the community has to foot the $1.1 million bill.
“It is an investment in the community,” said Flaxbeard.
Flaxbeard says the community has been generous and fundraising has gone well. Recently, an anonymous donation set the library up to begin construction in November on phase one of the project.
Even the teens of the community are doing their part to help.
“I always loved coming here when I was younger because it felt like a second home. I knew everyone here,” said Sama Shah.
Brownell-Talbot senior Sama Shah held her own library fundraiser and donated her birthday money to the library for the past few years.
“I enjoy seeing this expansion effort happen since I grew up here. I’m really looking forward to how it all completes,” said Shah.
If you’d like to donate to the library expansion click here http://www.benningtonfol.org/
