Rehoboth library seeks Warrington Road task force members

With renovations underway at the Rehoboth Avenue location, Rehoboth Beach Public Library officials have announced they are ready to form a task force to help lead fundraising and outreach efforts for a new library building on Warrington Road.

According to a press release issued Feb. 16, the task force will serve in an advisory capacity, offering feedback on layout, functionality, accessibility, and the types of spaces and features that will best serve residents of all ages. Features include collaborative meeting rooms, children’s programming areas, technology access and quiet study spaces.

“We want the Warrington Road library to reflect the character, values and needs of the community it serves,” said Kay Wheatley, library board president, in a statement.

In early 2023, library officials announced their intentions to renovate the existing downtown building and to also build a new library outside the city. Soon after, they also announced the second location would be built off Warrington Road on land located across from the Beebe Healthcare Specialty Surgical Hospital. The library officially purchased the 5-acre parcel for about $2 million in November.

The location 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. The new location will also allow the library to address parking needs the downtown location will never be able accommodate.

This will be the second task force formed by the library. The first helped the library determine what should be done to the downtown location. Renovations on that $7.5 million project began in earnest in January.

Wheatley said the goal is to have around 30 task force members, some from the previous group and some new faces. There’s a need for another 10 to 15 people, she said Feb. 19.

The task force is expected to meet for up to a year, with meetings expected to take place about once a month with some gaps, because there’s no need to meet while the building is being designed, said Wheatley. The plan is to begin meeting in April, so interested individuals should reach out no later than mid-March, she said.

An informational meeting about the task force will be announced soon. For additional information, contact Wheatley by emailing rbplrising@gmail.com or by calling 302-227-8044.