AUSTINTOWN Groundbreaking set for larger public library

The new library will include a meeting room, children's area and coffee shop.
By IAN HILL
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
AUSTINTOWN -- A groundbreaking ceremony will be Thursday for a new public library near Fitch High School.
The 19,940-square-foot building will be at Raccoon Road and Falcon Drive, and the ceremony will be at 9 a.m.
Janet Loew, the director of communications and public relations for The Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County, said the new library will provide local residents with some much-needed space.
"The current library in Austintown is far too small for the community," Loew said.
The current Austintown library covers 6,400 square feet at 5650 Mahoning Ave. It was built in 1965.
New features: Loew said that as Austintown has grown, so has the need for a larger library in the community. The new library is slated to include separate sections for children and young adults, a meeting room for 175 people, outdoor terraces and a parking lot with 100 spaces.
Several new computers for patron use will be installed in the new library, Loew said. Public library officials also are planning to lease out a space in the new library to a small coffee shop.
Loew noted that there is no meeting room, separate area for young adults, or coffee shop in the current library.
The construction of the new library is slated to cost $3.3 million. The money will come from the public library's building and repair fund.
Loew said the new library is expected to open next summer or fall.
hill@vindy.com