Jim Thorpe Area School District's board of education approved a request from the Dimmick Memorial Library to lease school property for a new library in Kidder Township.

A letter from the board's president, Robert L. Stevenson, states that the original library at 54 Broadway in Jim Thorpe can no longer effectively serve the increased population and service area, which includes Jim Thorpe, Nesquehoning, Penn Forest, Kidder, and the overlaying Jim Thorpe Area School District."Consequently, the time has come for the Dimmick to expand its services by increasing its footprint by establishing a branch in the area with the largest population increase, Penn Forest and Kidder townships," Stevenson's letter reads.Though the Penn-Kidder Library at Pine Point Shopping Center does provide library access to some of the local population, their establishment is not state-certified, and most likely cannot deal with expected population growth."The best way to provide beneficial library services for this area is to erect a permanent building. At this time, the heart of this area is the Penn-Kidder Elementary Campus," Stevenson said.Dr. Clem McGinley, who serves on both the school board and the library board, said a Dimmick Memorial Library branch in the region could more effectively serve residents."Seventy-five percent of our students and taxpayers are located in the Penn-Kidder area. Dimmick Memorial Library is a state-certified library, which means we get some funding from the state. It also means that we have access to a lot of different materials that many libraries don't have, such as the sharing of books from a consortium, different electronic media, things like that," McGinley said.The request encompasses leasing 4 acres of space from the school district, constructing a building measuring approximately 2,500 square feet, and connecting to the existing water supply and sewer lines. The larger library may be constructed in the vicinity of the upper end of the Penn-Kidder Campus, to the north of the upper access road, but an exact location will be decided through mutual agreement. The larger library, which would allow extra space for meeting rooms and offices, would also have room for possible expansion and up to 20 parking spaces.Stevenson estimates that the new library could be open for business in about three years.Though Thursday's approval initiates the process of establishing the new library, details of the lease and construction, including legal matters, engineering and architectural studies, and payment rates have yet to be determined."I think it will be a great asset to our students," Penn-Kidder Campus Principal David McAndrew Jr. said."The kids can get access to more books for school, and down the road they may be able to help out with after school programs using their facilities. Parents can benefit from it for educational programs, as libraries often have activities not just for kids, but for adults. I think it's a win-win for the district, as well as Kidder Township."