Our New Valley Library Needs your Support

[From the Friends of JPL March Newsletter]

No doubt you have heard of the push underway to finally give a permanent home to the Valley Library,
which would be located in Dimond Park.  There are two hurdles that must first be overcome:

1. Secure grant funding for half of the project costs from the State under the Public Library Construction Grant Program 
2. Become successful in having the New Valley Library Project added to the next 1% CBJ Special Project Sales Tax bundle and the subsequent passing of said bundle on the ballot in the fall

Our current “temporary” facility has been located in rented space in the mall since 1983.   Over that
time frame the City has paid more than $6.5 million dollars in rent.  Although the population of the
Mendenhall Valley has more than doubled in that time, the library has only 300 more square feet than
it did 29 years ago.

The facility has no outside entrance, limiting library access to mall hours and reducing programming options. The facility is only minimally ADA compliant.  Lighting, electrical and structural deficiencies limit collection size, programming space, and placement of technology.
Construction of a city-owned library in the Mendenhall Valley has been a community goal since the
early 1980’s.  Land has been designated for a library on the Dimond Park site since the city first purchased the site. The Friends of the Juneau Public Libraries and the Juneau Public Library Endowment Fund have committed $1.3 million to this project. If you have the opportunity, please speak of your support for this project to CBJ Assembly members and State Legislators.

Jeff Vogt 
President, Friends Board


Track Senate Bill 160 (SB160) the Alaska Capital Budget which will determine final funding for the Library Construction and Major Expansion Grant.

Alaska Library Association: Advocacy and Legislative Priorities

AK State Legislators: Juneau
Sen. Egan
Rep. Kerttula
Rep. Munoz


CBJ Assembly, contact