Under sunny skies and temperatures in the 50s, a good crowd gathered at the Auburn Memorial Library Thursday afternoon, March 8, as ground was broken for the library’s planned larger children’s department.

“It’s an important time for the library and the children’s section is important. Who is our town built on? It’s built on our youth. This addition will provide room and space for them. The generosity of others made this project possible. It’s a thrill to see this happen,” said Dick Hahn. Hahn recently retired from the Auburn Memorial Library board of trustees and the library foundation board.
Hahn said that he appreciated Rogge General Contractors, Inc. for sticking with the project.
Auburn Mayor Scott Kudrna said it took many people supporting the project to make it possible. That included representatives of the library foundation, city and county. The enlarged children’s department will serve Auburn residents well, Kudrna said.
The approximately 1,300 square foot addition is to the west side of the library. Cost of the building is $488,000. Estimated construction time is 210 days and that will take completion of the project into early fall.
Heather Koeneke, library director, said that construction will not affect library hours at this time and will not affect parking.
The Clark Enersen Partners is architect and engineer. Rogge General Contractors Inc. is contractor. The library addition project is financed by a loan from U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development.
The addition is the first to the present library building. The groundbreaking was actually held one day and 16 years later than after the building which opened March 7, 1996.