Resident Group Hopes to Improve Local Libraries

With the help of local fundraising and other community support, a new resident group is undertaking the lofty goal of making Harrison's library system one of the best in the country.

The Harrison Public Library Foundation, still in its formative stages, is a group of seven town residents who hope to work with the library's current board of trustees to make facilities and programming upgrades within the community's libraries.

"We believe that a town can be judged by, among other things, the quality of the libraries," said Nicole Decker, a member of the group who introduced the foundation's plans at the March 3 Harrison Town Board meeting. "We believe our libraries could better represent the Town of Harrison."

The foundation still hasn't been formed officially, but members are already researching possible renovations to , Decker said. There are two libraries in Harrison, one downtown and one in .

Once the foundation is established, Decker said the first steps will be to present renovation plans to the community and to start fundraising later this year.

"There will be ample ways for all members of our community to provide input and to be involved," Decker said.

The Harrison Public Library has been in existence for more than 100 years and recently unveiled a new website. Currently the library offers a variety of children and student programming at both the downtown and West Harrison branches.

The last major renovation made to the downtown library took place in 1985.