YORK COUNTY, Pa. — The doors remain shut at the Arthur Hufnagel Public Library in Glen Rock, York County. It’s been closed since February when a pipe broke.
“We actually had a patron who knelt down to find a book and got up and her knees were wet," said Michelle Siesko, president of Friends of Arthur Hufnagel Public Library.
Over the next few months, as remediation began and air quality was tested, asbestos and mold were found.
The absence of the library over these last several months has been felt by the small-town community.
“It’s really not just the library but [it's] the library as a community center, as a hub where people can come to print things, use the internet or get answers to something they don’t have another resource for," said Siesko.
The borough owns the building and York County Libraries (YCL) runs the library and its services.
YCL estimates $140,000 to $150,000 is needed to make it safe and functional again.
“It’s obviously going to have to be a group effort between YCL and the borough who owns the building, and we as the Friends, are always the fundraising arm of the library, we spend the whole year fundraising to keep the library open," said Siesko.
The Friends group is aiming to raise $50,000 of that total amount.
The group hopes the community steps up in this time of need.
“Once we get the money, it could be as quick as six weeks," said Siesko.
Many local businesses are also offering fundraising campaigns to help raise money for the library, including the Glen Rock Mill Inn.
"The library is an integral part of our downtown and we don’t want to lose it," said Brandon Hufnagel, owner of the Glen Rock Mill Inn.
The Inn is hosting a gala dinner called “Cooking the Books” on October 26 to raise funds for the Friends group to help offset remediation costs. The ticket price for the dinner will be $200 and $100 of the ticket price will go directly to the library.
The Inn will also be donating the food and wine at cost, as well as donating its labor, service and facility to host the event.
You can also donate to the Arthur Hufnagel Public Library through the York County Library's website. You must select the library's name from the drop-down list for your donation to go directly to Arthur Hufnagel.