The Springfield-Greene County Library District held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new building in Republic Thursday, January 16.
In a statement, the district said the new branch will be built on the same plot as the current branch. It will be more than double the size of the current facility with an expanded children’s sections including a dedicated storytime room, as well as a teen area, a 150-person auditorium, a business center, maker space and more.
The project is budgeted at $8,912,416 and will be partially paid for with federal ARPA funds distributed by the State of Missouri. It is one of three major construction projects for the library district all partially funded by ARPA monies. Renovations are also underway at The Library Center branch in south Springfield and the historic Midtown Carnegie Branch downtown.
The current Republic branch library building will remain open during construction, the new building is expected to open in Spring 2026.
Find more about the Springfield-Greene County Library District’s construction projects on their website.