Rehoboth library kicks off capital campaign for downtown project

The Rehoboth Beach Public Library has announced the beginning of a $2 million capital campaign to finish funding the renovation of the downtown library at 226 Rehoboth Ave.

“We could not be more excited to kick off this once-in-a-generation campaign. Our goals are bold, even ambitious, but the only thing greater than our ambition is our optimism in achieving this together,” said Kay Wheatley, library board president, in a press release. 

The library has already received $3 million each from the American Rescue Plan Act and the state’s Bond Bill. According to the project website, the downtown library serves more than 45,000 people per year.

“With the funds raised, this renovation will grow our capacity, improve our infrastructure and ensure that the Rehoboth Beach Public Library remains a welcoming, vibrant and future-ready institution – one that reflects the values and aspirations of the community we serve,” said Wheatley.

Contributions from individuals, businesses and local civic organizations will be raised at all levels from $1 to $100,000, including naming opportunities that range from $10,000 to $50,000.

It’s taken years for the library to get to this point. The library task force and the library board of trustees approved conceptual designs in summer 2024 to renovate the downtown location. A few months later, Whiting Turner was hired as the construction manager to lead the project. Construction began in December 2025, and is expected to be complete in 2026, with work happening in phases to keep library closures minimal, the library open and essential services running throughout the project.

The renovation will address three critical areas for the library – upgrading the HVAC system, and the electrical and internet capabilities; increasing meeting and study space availability by up to 50% with the addition of two study/meeting rooms; and making ADA-compliant improvements to ensure all patrons can navigate and utilize the facility.

When complete, the project will serve children and teens who rely on the library for summer camps, literacy programs and safe, enriching activities; adults and seniors who participate in workshops, cultural events and lifelong learning programs; local organizations and nonprofits that use meeting spaces for public forums, training sessions and community outreach; and remote workers, tutors and students who depend on study rooms for quiet, reliable workspace.

Wheatley concluded, “Beyond physical improvements, this project will strengthen the role of the Rehoboth Beach Public Library as a responsive civic anchor. With flexible, functional space, we can host life-long learning courses, professional development workshops, and emergency community meetings – services currently limited by space constraints.” 

For more information on the capital campaign and the improvements to the downtown location, go to rehobothlibraryreno.my.canva.site/main or email rbplrising@gmail.com.

This renovation job is one of two projects the Rehoboth Beach Public Library is undertaking. The library went to settlement in November on a 5-acre piece of land off Warrington Road that cost about $2 million.

Located across from the Beebe Healthcare Specialty Surgical Hospital, the Warrington Road parcel was chosen for two reasons – location and parking. The library’s service area encompasses 32 square miles – Dewey Beach to Rehoboth Beach to Route 24 as far as Angola. A needs study conducted in late 2018 showed 90% of the library's users live more than two miles from the downtown location on Rehoboth Avenue. The new location will also allow the library to address parking needs the downtown location will never be able accommodate.

The funding for the Warrington Road location is separate from the downtown location’s renovation.