T-R PHOTO BY MIKE DONAHEY The Marshalltown Public Library at 105 W. Boone St.

Marshalltown Public Library staff and its board of trustees are looking into the possibility of adding a multi-purpose room to the building’s north side.

Head Librarian Sarah Rosenblum said Thursday it was needed to better meet youth programming needs and increased demands for meeting room space,

Rosenblum said costs are currently estimated “to be less than $2 million.”

“We believe there is a need for more space to better serve our youth,” Rosenblum said. “We are proposing the multi-purpose room which would allow us to meet our increasing youth needs and increasing meeting room requests as well.”

The library, 105 W. Boone St., has a large meeting room which can be divided into two smaller rooms.

Rosenblum said a preliminary financing plan includes:

• Fundraising

• A request to the city council for a yet-to-be determined contribution

• A donation from Friends of the Library.

Friends of MPL is a not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) corporation established in 1997. Its mission is to support and promote the programs, resources, and services of MPL. The Friends organization solicits gifts, endowments, and bequests for the benefit of the library.

Friends President Jeff Hutton of Marshalltown said the organization is prepared to help once project details are presented.

“The Friends are looking to help financially with a possible expansion,” Hutton said. “It is our understanding our assistance could be combined with city resources and from fundraising. We want to review everything in advance and determine if the multi-purpose room is the right decision.”

Rosenblum said project details will be presented during a city council-library board work session, scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Jan. 9 at the library.

The meeting is open to the public.

The nearly 35,000 square-feet library was constructed 11 years ago.

“The library is entering its second decade of services in this building, and we are looking toward the future,” Rosenblum said.

Now entering her ninth year at the helm, Rosenblum has seen dramatic increases in the library’s services from youth to middle-aged to senior patrons.

In 2013, the library received the prestigious Library Medal Award for exemplary library service from First Lady Michelle Obama in Washington D.C.

Rosenblum said it is the only Iowa library to have received the award.

For more information, contact Rosenblum at 641-754-5738.

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Contact Mike Donahey

at 641-753-6611 or

mdonahey@timesrepublican.com