SALEM — Two years after its library was shut down, Salem State College learned it will get $69 million in state funding to build a new one.
"We're very pleased," said college President Patricia Meservey. "It's a great benefit for our students."
Gov. Deval Patrick announced yesterday that his five-year capital plan includes money for the new library. It also will supply $28 million for the New Allied Health and Science Building at North Shore Community College and $21.1 million toward the development of a regional vocational school.
Senate Majority Leader Fred Berry broke the news during the monthly meeting of the North Shore Chamber of Commerce yesterday. Initially, Salem State had requested $73 million for the project, but a statement on the governor's Web site put the number at an "estimated $69 million."
Salem State requested the funding last spring, but it was contingent on state resources. While there was some trepidation, administrators were "cautiously optimistic" that the money would come through, Meservey said.
The new 120,000-square-foot building — the same size as the old one — will go on the North Campus between the Peabody Hall residence and the Meier Hall academic building. The old library, which was deemed structurally unsound and closed two years ago for safety concerns, will be demolished.
Since it closed, the majority of services were moved to a 20,000-square-foot room on central campus. They also converted other spaces for library use, like the faculty dining room and conference rooms.
"We've literally been using every nook and cranny we could find," Meservey said.
The new structure will serve not only as a library, but a "learning commons," with consolidated academic support services like the honors program, the writing program, and the center for disabilities.
It gives the different organizations an opportunity to interact and work together, and "it makes it kind of one stop shopping for our students," Meservey said.
The college, she said, has already completed a design study and will start working on the architectural plans for a new building. That should take about a year, with construction scheduled for next fall. The governor's budget calls for $5 million toward the project in 2010.
Staff writer Cate Lecuyer can be reached at clecuyer@salemnews.com
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