Lower Merion Library Decisions Loom

Lower Merion Director of Libraries Christine Steckel addressed the Board of Commissioners Wednesday night with updates from five of the six township branches:

• Ludington: Use of the renovated library, which reopened in September, has quickly returned to 2009 levels, meaning roughly 51,000 items circulating a month and 26,000 visitors a month. Parking can be scarce, so the library is now selling smart cards for meters at the library and in Lot 7 across Lancaster Avenue.
• Bala Cynwyd: After about a year of construction, the building has been enclosed, and furniture is due to be delivered in February. The hope is for a grand opening April 6. The estimated cost of construction is $7.3 million; Ludington's was about $10 million, according to Steckel.
• Ardmore: An architectural and engineering report on renovation options, including how to replace the elevator, is expected to reach township officials in January. Meanwhile, roof and window repairs are due to finish in early April.
• Gladwyne: The Gladwyne Library Board and the township government are working on a legal agreement to govern the renovation of the privately owned building. Library leaders are moving ahead with plans for an exterior elevator and presenting a design to the Historical Architectural Review Board in February, with the goal of putting the project out to bid in the summer.
• Penn Wynne: Any renovations at this branch would likely be further down the line than those already mentioned, but the Penn Wynne library board is already planning its future and proposing to take over the property. 130 Overbrook Parkway in Wynnewood was most recently assessed for tax purposes at about $591,000, according to property records.

Do you have a question about library renovation plans at one or more Lower Merion branches? Ask it in the comments section below.