SPRINGFIELD – City library officials say now is the time for East Forest Park residents and others in the city to consider participating in the Promise Realized fundraising campaign to build a new library.

Matthew A. Blumenfeld, the principal of Financial Development Agency, Inc., the company hired to coordinate the campaign, explained to The Reminder there is now a challenge grant for families who contribute.  The Springfield Library Foundation will match family donations up to a limit of $250,000.

The East Forest Park Library is the second busiest branch in the city with 45,550 visitors annually with more than 600 programs attended by 9,942 people and a circulation of materials of 52,391 items. All of this is accomplished in a space just 4,100 square feet in size.

The new library will be 17,000 square feet and will be state of the art with a makers’ space, a hall for programs and presentations, a teen area, a technology area with computers and other features, Blumenfeld explained.

In order to leverage more financial support from the business community, Blumenfeld said the campaign requires additional participation from the people in the neighborhood.

“Now is the appropriate time to do so [give],” Blumenfeld said.

To make the giving process more affordable, families and individuals can pledge a gift that can be paid out over the course of five years, he added. Blumenfeld is hoping that people throughout the country with ties to the neighborhood would consider giving.

Jessica Pérez Blasko, Community Relations Coordinator Springfield City Library, said there might be a perception that “regular” people can’t afford to add to the campaign, which is why the five-year plan was instituted.

There are also “ample” naming opportunities in the new library to honor a family member, Blumenfeld added.  

The total cost of the library is budgeted at $9.5 million, of which $4.9 million is coming from the state, $ 2.6 million from the city, and $2 million from the Library Foundation, of which $1.15 million still needs to be contributed.

Blumenfeld said so far corporate donations include $250,000 from MassMutual, $50,000 from PeoplesBank and $10,000 from Freedom Credit Union $35,000 from Beverage Foundation.

S. Prestley Blake, co-founder of Friendly’s and his wife Helen have contributed $150,000, Blumenfeld added.

All donations are tax deductible.

The library’s construction is moving forward during the fundraising campaign.

The bid for the new building will be going out in mid-August and a groundbreaking is scheduled for September.

Blumenfeld, “We’re confident we’ll hit the goal, we’re just not sure when.”

To learn more, go to www.springfieldlibrary.org/library/promiserealizedcapitalcampaign.