Poland Library on South Main Street
The Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County board of trustees will hold a special meeting on April 29 to discuss the future of the Poland library branch.
The meeting is scheduled for 4 p.m. in the event space at the Main Library, 305 Wick Ave.
The session is open to the public and will also be available for remote viewing. Members of the community can join the meeting through Zoom using a computer, tablet, or smartphone at https://us02web.zoom.j/84147054732.
Library officials plan to present findings regarding the potential relocation of the Poland branch. The board previously requested an investigation into whether the branch should remain in its current building on South Main Street or move to a new location.
The proposal has drawn opposition from Poland residents and the Poland Village Council. Local leaders recently passed a resolution asking the board to keep the library in its existing facility.
Current estimates from the library system suggest a new building would cost between $6.7 million and $9.9 million. Renovating the current branch is estimated to cost $7.3 million. However, library administration officials noted that long-term maintenance costs over 30 years would be higher for the renovated building than for a new facility.
The meeting comes as State Sen. Al Cutrona, R-Canfield, prepares to introduce legislation in the Ohio Senate. The bill would require county commissioners to approve the closure of library branches in larger counties. Under the proposed law, library systems that close branches without commissioner approval could lose state funding, which makes up about half of the PLYMC budget.
Mahoning County commissioners have expressed support for keeping the library at its current site.