Press Releases

Darby, PA – Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05) today joined Darby Free Library staff, board members, and volunteers, along with local officials, to celebrate the $981,562 in Community Project Funding she recently secured to support renovations to Darby Free Library’s historic structure. It is one of 10 Community Project Funding awards Scanlon delivered for her district through the Fiscal Year 2022 federal government funding package passed by Congress in March. 

A recent inspection revealed that Darby Free Library needs urgent structural repairs to its brick masonry and foundation. The Community Project Funding secured by Scanlon will help create a resilient public building that can better serve its community members by renovating this historic structure to meet modern standards. The funding will be used to lower operating costs by installing energy-efficient solar panels, make the library accessible to disabled patrons, and repair the failing roof and gutters.

“Libraries have long been a cornerstone of American communities — connecting us to literature, technology, media, programs, and each other, sparking a love for learning and providing access to invaluable resources for our communities,” said Rep. Scanlon.  “Like all of our public libraries, the Darby Free Library is essential to the people it serves. I am so happy to be able to bring taxpayer dollars back to the hardworking people of Darby and to see them invested in a way that will have a lasting impact on the borough.” 

Darby Free Library Director Susan Borders added: “The Darby Library is the second oldest library in Pennsylvania. The first child of Benjamin Franklin’s Library Company of Philadelphia. It has served the community since 1743 through wars, floods, blizzards, fires, and economic hardships. The building has provided a meeting place and resource center for 150 years and it’s showing the strain. This grant is a huge step toward repairing and improving The Darby Library to better serve everyone.”

The Darby Free Library, established in 1743, is the oldest library providing continuous service in the country. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the Darby Free Library has remained fully open to the public and was the only library within the Delaware County system to do so. The Darby Library offers the only free access to computers, printers, and internet in the community. These resources are used daily to connect residents to information such as employment opportunities, government assistance programs, email, and homework. The library is located within walking distance of four schools and provides a safe and inclusive environment for community members both young and old.

The Fiscal Year 2022 spending bill provides $1.5 trillion in discretionary resources, including nearly $8.5 million in Community Project Funding secured by Scanlon for organizations in PA-05. Additional information on the Community Project Funding awards in Scanlon’s district is available here.

Photos from the press conference are available  here for media use.

###