Thanks to amazing generosity, commitment and unwavering support from library supporters, the City of Fernandina Beach will soon break ground for a new wing for the Fernandina Beach Branch of the Nassau County Library System. To mark the occasion, Friends of the Library (FOL) is hosting a ground breaking celebration with City and County officials on February 27 at 4 p.m. in front of the Library on N. 4^th Street.

The new wing and renovations of the existing building are being funded with $600,000 each from Fernandina Beach and Nassau County, and $400,000 from FOL which was placed in an escrow account for construction on December 12. The new wing should be ready for occupancy in about six months. Then the Library will operate from the new space while repairs and upgrades are made on the existing building. When the entire project is completed in mid-2015, the Fernandina Beach Library will be about twice its current size and will provide room for a new computer lab, children’s room, community room, expanded study, research, and work spaces.

As construction moves forward, so does the second phase of FOL’s capital campaign – to raise funds for furniture, equipment and collection upgrades that will be needed when the revitalized Library opens in 2015. As of early January, FOL has raised $635,000+ in gifts and pledges toward our $1.2 million goal. FOL supporters can be very proud of their contribution to making these library improvements possible. Citizens will have better access to a wide world of information and opportunity for many years to come.