Future of Poland Library branch focus of tonight's community meeting

The Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County will hold a community feedback meeting tonight at the Poland Branch to discuss the potential relocation of the library.

The meeting, which begins at 5:30 p.m., will allow attendees to submit questions and comments on index cards, to be read aloud by a moderator. The library has made cards available in advance for those wishing to provide early feedback.

The discussion follows the PLYMC Board's May 20 vote to explore relocating the Poland Library, a decision prompted by a comprehensive year-long study that identified long-standing deficiencies in the branch's original design and construction.

Aimee Fifarek, PLYMC Director and CEO, has stated that while maintaining the current building is the cheapest short-term option, a relocation is the most cost-efficient in the long run and would allow the library to better serve the Poland community.

The study presented three options: maintaining, renovating, or relocating the existing building. The relocation option involves constructing a new 15,000 to 20,000-square-foot facility or significantly renovating an existing building of that size.

Fifarek previously assured the public that the current building remains safe for use, but emphasized that its inherent problems are not diminishing. Library operations are expected to continue uninterrupted during any future construction or renovation, as temporary relocation of services would not be required.

While the board has not ruled out maintaining or renovating the current facility, exploring a new location is now a significant, long-term process. Fifarek stated in May that the library would review various available sites, including plots of land for new construction or existing buildings suitable for renovation. A specific relocation site has not yet been identified.