POLAND A citizen group advocating for the preservation of the Poland Library branch is expanding its efforts to the county level this week.

Members of the Poland Save Your Library Citizens’ Group plan to address the Mahoning County Commissioners meeting on Thursday, Oct. 9, at 10 a.m. The group was formed with the specific goal of keeping the library at its current South Main Street location.

The group’s attendance follows a recent meeting of the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County board, where residents urged trustees to halt any potential relocation. At that meeting, the group presented a petition containing more than 2,000 signatures in support of the current building.

The group contends that the Poland Library branch is a centerpiece of the community and should be preserved in its present form. They also assert that maintaining the current location is the least expensive of the options being considered by the library board.

The group is asking the Commissioners to pass a resolution at the meeting showing the board’s support to preserve the library’s functional and physical form in its current location.

The library’s governing board is currently conducting a feasibility study that includes appraising the existing building, identifying alternative sites, and comparing the costs of repair versus relocation. Library Director and CEO Aimee Fifarek previously stated that the study aims to provide “apples to apples” comparisons between the two options.

The study was initiated as the library system faces financial pressures from rising costs for salaries, materials, and building supplies, alongside reduced state revenue. Fifarek said the system has been forced to reprioritize its budget to ensure continued quality service, noting that staff are considering cuts, changes to hours, and retirement incentives to stabilize capital funds.

The library’s trustees confirmed that the relocation study is ongoing and that no final timeline for a decision has been set.