2004
Town votes to create the Library Capital Reserve Fund “for necessary repairs and improvements.”
2010
Library Staff and Trustees begin discussion on adequacy of current library building.
2014
Town votes to add $25K to Library Fund and for trustees to develop a long term plan.
Professionals and trustees conclude the current library lot cannot address identified issues. Attempts to expand this lot were unsuccessful.
Friends of Grafton Library established to support library mission and as the fundraising organization for future library improvement.
2015
2016
2017
2018
Town added $15K to Library CRF. Trustees appoint a building committee who develop Requests for Proposal. UK Architects selected for proposal.
Chester Gray purchases the lot at 2 Library Rd for $40K and donates it to the town for “solely library purposes as determined by the trustees.”
Trustees, staff, and committee members work with UK Architects to develop a plan to either move and expand the current library or build new.
UK Architects presents a plan to relocate the current library with addition at a cost of $1.2-1.5M. Costs too high, back to the drawing board. UK fees of almost $18K paid by Friends of Grafton Library.
2019
Voters add another $25K to library CRF.
Library Trustees review three new proposals. Small addition to current library, new building on 2 Library Rd without moving library, and a repurposed historic English barn proposal. Board voted unanimously for the barn proposal.
Barn plan presentation to the selectboard was well received.
2020
Town passed a warrant article to allow the Friends of Grafton Library and Library Trustees to build a library on the property donated for that purpose. (Because no money was included, the article was considered advisory only.)
Friends of Grafton Library pay $8K for c.1800 English Barn Structure from Lois Johnson
2022
Library Trustees vote unanimously to pursue building the barn library proposal for a second time.
Friends of Grafton Library enter contract with Aaron Allen Timber Framing and pays $32K for work completed to date.
2024
Trustees put forward petitioned ARTICLE 21 to allow building of the library contingent upon CDFA’s CCIP award.