MILLBROOK — The Millbrook Library has been awarded$300,000 in state capital grants to help fund roof repairs and heating and cooling upgrades expected to cost at least $2 million.
The grants, announced last week, were the result of advocacy by the offices of state Sen. Michelle Hinchey and Assemblymember Didi Barrett.
The 15,000-square-foot library on Franklin Avenue has struggled in recent years with a leaking roof and an aging heating and cooling system. Buckets placed beneath leaks in the common area have become a familiar sight for patrons and staff.
The $300,000 came from two $150,000 grants: one through the Local Community Assistance Program (LoCAP), secured with Hinchey’s support, and another through the Community Resiliency, Economic Sustainability, and Technology Program (CREST), secured with Barrett’s backing.
In addition to the $300,000, the library received $325,000 in separate grant funding toward the $2 million project. The balance will come from the library’s trust, with those funding requests approved in June. Construction is scheduled to begin in early 2027.
Library Director Courtney Tsahalis was quick to point out that the repair funds are not part of the library’s request for increased operating funds, which is on the ballot this November.
The library is requesting a 2027 budget of $399,000, a $50,000 increase, to “close the persistent deficit that has been funded by savings and a generous but inconsistent flow of donations,” according to a library statement.
During their visit to the library, state legislators Hinchey and Barrett praised the library’s resilience and role as a centerpiece of the community. “Libraries are the most democratic of our institutions,” Barrett said. “Everybody is welcome, and it’s one of the most important things that our money goes to.”
Hinchey added that “as everything is getting more expensive, it’s wonderful to have a place like a community library.” She noted its importance as a heating and cooling center in months of extreme weather, and the library’s ability to draw residents of all ages in for quiet, education, and Wi-Fi. Millbrook’s library is one of the area’s biggest and oldest, having been established in 1901.
Photo by Graham Corrigan
