Keeping the public library in its original location – at a major intersection in downtown historic York – was both a pivotal decision and a tremendous challenge.  Funded privately, this project encompassed a renovation of the original library – built in 1935, expansion into a next-door brownstone home built in 1866, and “infill” between the two buildings. The project included restoring important frescoes in the brownstone as well as transforming the library.  The library now boasts a gourmet coffee shop, a Victorian ballroom that is available for public use, and a new Children’s Library that includes an outdoor courtyard.  Since the project’s completion, library visits have increased by 6,000 per month and circulation has increased 25 percent.