Library Building Project

text site

The Case for Support:

In 2008, the Dover Public Library remains in the building originally constructed in 1961 and serves a population of 46,530 (City of Dover, 34,735, plus 11,795, from unincorporated areas unserved by libraries and assigned to Dover PL service area). With approximately 17,500 square feet on three floors, the main floor houses the adult and teen fiction and nonfiction collections; the Reference collections; the Foundation Center Cooperating collections; the circulating periodicals; the audiovisual collections; the public internet computers; the public access computer catalogs; the reference services desk; the circulation services desk; a staff work room; and public restrooms. The basement (accessible by elevator) houses the children’s collections; the children’s programming room; the meeting room; the Delaware Room; the administrative offices; storage rooms; staff kitchen; and public rest rooms. The third floor houses a staff work room; a librarian’s office; and a rest room. The third floor is not accessible by elevator and does not meet the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The Dover Public Library participates in a reciprocal borrowing agreement which enables residents of Kent and Sussex Counties to use all public libraries interchangeably within the counties. The Dover Public Library expands its collections’ usage into New Castle County through an interlibrary loan process facilitated by the Delaware Division of Libraries.

Statistics show that 396,837 visits by members of the public were made to the Dover Public Library during 2007 (1,087 visitors per day). Those visitors checked out 406,439 items from the Library’s collections. 10,241 persons attended 304 library programs. There were 36,881 registered library borrowers. This exceeds the City’s population by 2,146. [Residents of Kent and Sussex Counties may only have one library card which may be used at any library in the counties.] 51% of the Library’s circulation was to members of the public residing outside of the limits of the City of Dover.