The Phoenix Public Library will receive $10,000 and all related funds from the Carnegie Corporation.
The Phoenix City Council voted unanimously on Feb. 18 to accept the gift in honor of America’s 250th anniversary of signing the Declaration of Independence.
The library was founded in 1898 by a group of women known as the Friday Club, and Andrew Carnegie helped fund it. It is among the first public libraries to serve Phoenix along with 1,310 libraries across the country recognized by the Carnegie Libraries 250 Special Initiative. These libraries either operate in their original buildings or maintain a connection to Carnegie, according to city records.
Phoenix council member Anna Hernandez said any investment into Phoenix public libraries is a benefit for communities.
“More money means that we can expand services and hours of operation,” Hernandez said. “Our students, our scholars and our families will have access to do more, visit our libraries and tap into more services.”
There are 233 public and tribal library outlets in Arizona. The state spent more than $196 million from 2020 to 2021 to help libraries serve communities, according to the Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records, a division of the Arizona Secretary of State.
Hernandez said she and her team are always looking into funding for Phoenix public libraries during budget season.
“I would love to see more funding for our library programs and our library services,” Hernandez said. “Right now, our libraries are doing a great job with what they have through the budget, but I am always supportive of increasing the funding.”
The Phoenix City Council also voted to approve the application for funding from the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) program.
The BUILD program provides funding for infrastructure projects that are difficult to fund. It is run by the U.S. Department of Transportation, and the total funds applied for will not pass $25 million, according to city records.
The program will help fund the design and construction of a new 1.2-mile roadway from Bell Road to Mayo Boulevard.
The program will also help expand the Mayo Clinic campuses in Phoenix and Scottsdale to provide people with more access to educational and medical resources.
Mayor Kate Gallego said the Mayo Clinic and Arizona State University, along with the public sector, will help pay for the project.
Phoenix will spend up to $11 million, and the project’s partnership with the Mayo Clinic and ASU will reach up to $4 million, according to city records.
Phoenix Council member Jim Waring said this project will help attract people coming to Phoenix.
“It just speaks to people wanting to come to Phoenix and the market that we have created here,” Waring said.
Edited by Shi Bradley
