Media Contacts:
CCPL – Erin Del Signore
edelsignore@ccplonline.org
La Plata – Laura Van Eperen
lvaneperen@fovndry.com
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Plans for New Charles County Public Library in La Plata Announced
LA PLATA, Md. (February 16, 2022) – In the shadow of the more than 56-year-old La Plata library, the Town of La Plata Council voted to approve a lease for a new library in La Plata with Charles County. The Town approval comes after last week’s approval by the Charles County Board of Commissioners. The County will build the new library on land owned by the Town at the intersection of Washington Avenue and Talbot Street.
“I expect the fully reinvented space to be a significant community and learning center for all, and I am excited at last to share this amazing project, especially as we celebrate our 100th anniversary this year,” Executive Director of the library, KennethWayne Thompson, said of the announcement.
Charles County Public Library hired consulting firm OrangeBoy, Inc. to conduct a study on library usage in La Plata. The study found that the La Plata Branch logged more than 568,000 visits during the 2017 fiscal year, an increase of almost 20 percent from the previous year. The study also found that a population growth of five percent could be anticipated in La Plata during the next five years, putting even more strain on its dated facility.
“The County, Town and library leaders collaborated to find the ideal location to serve the public because our residents deserve a modern library to meet 21st century learning, reading and research needs,” said Commissioner President Reuben B. Collins, Esq. “We couldn’t be more pleased to be partnering with the Town of La Plata to benefit the growing number of citizens using the public library, in this highly accessible location.”
“We have been talking about a new library for many years, so we are thrilled to have found the right location and come to an agreement with Charles County to finally bring this new public amenity to our residents,” added Jeannine James, Town of La Plata Mayor. “We greatly appreciate the County’s partnership on this important community asset, which ensures our Town remains highly walkable.”
The new library will be approximately 28,000-square-feet, with the exact specifications and facility features to be outlined once design plans are approved in 2022. County and town officials expect to gather public input on the final library design.
For more information on this ongoing project, please visit ccplonline.org/capital-projects/.
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About Charles County Public Library
The Charles County Public Library (CCPL) creates opportunities for our community to engage, discover, and learn. CCPL consists of four library branches, as well as a Mobile Library. CCPL has a staff of more than 100 full-time and part-time employees. Our branches house over 200,000 volumes of printed material, audio books, film, and other documents, and we have an online branch at www.ccplonline.org where we are adding new resources regularly. Currently, there are over 75,000 county residents who have library cards and that number grows every day.
About La Plata
The Town of La Plata is in Southern Maryland about 30 miles southeast of Washington, DC, 60 miles south of Baltimore, 45 miles southwest of Annapolis, and 80 miles north of Richmond, Va. It serves as the county seat for the Charles County Government and was originally founded in the 1870s as the Pennsylvania Railroad was granted a right of way to build its tracks and station. The Town of La Plata was incorporated on April 4, 1888. Since La Plata’s inception, it has grown into a beautiful small town of 8,753 residents (2010 Census) with hundreds of small businesses that serve Southern Maryland.