Councilman David Marks said today that next year’s county budget will include $600,000 in improvements at the Towson library.
He said $500,000 will be spent to replace the failing heating and air conditioning system at the library and administrative offices. Another $100,000 will go for upgrading the mezzanine level and creating a Business Center of Excellence at the library.
“The Center will help residents with job applications, business plans, and financial skills,” Marks said. “This is budgeted at $100,000, with $75,000 from the county and $25,000 from BCPL fundraising efforts and grants.”
He also said that despite rumors to the contrary, the library would not move to a new location.
“This afternoon, at the budget hearing, I specifically asked [Library Director Paula Miller] if the county would be investing this sort of money if the branch was going to close. She told the Council that the library will remain where it is,” Marks said. “Regardless, the Towson overlay district legislation I have proposed would advance a bridge at that area across York Road if there is a redevelopment at some point of the library.”
(Now if only they could find a way to make returning books easier!)
It’s very functional and loved by Towson residents for generations. Over 30,000 people used this library last month.
It really is a nonfunctional building, by the standards of modern libraries. That Brutalist design (if that’s what it is) just doesn’t work. It’s not user-friendly — and probably not great in terms of the library’s maintenance issues. It’s too bad, because libraries can become gathering places for the public. We do what we can within the limitations of that library, but if there were something better in Towson, it would really elevate the city center.
This library is a eyesore. Maybe Marks should have Caves Valley pay for a new one, if they aren’t willing to force any real open space purchases for Towson.