When asbestos was discovered throughout the 50-year-old Modesto Library, a downtown landmark since 1971, the mini-facelift that had been planned for new lighting and some paint suddenly became an opportunity in disguise.
Friends of the Modesto Library resolved to supplement the $18 million in public funds from Stanislaus County, the City of Modesto, state library grants and library reserves by raising an additional $3 million, and elevate the refurbishment effort to a level of excellence that would have been unattainable with public funds alone.
Mind you, Friends of the Modesto Library is a passionate but small organization whose operating budget usually hovers around $26,000 per year, so it’s understandable that some people in the community wondered whether we could actually pull off this feat…