Update: Sweetwater County Library System Director Lindsey Travis updated a previously-reported funding amount available from the Wyoming State Library.

SWEETWATER COUNTY – The libraries in Rock Springs and Green River will have their meeting rooms renovated through a grant recently awarded to the Sweetwater County Library System. The grant amounts to $1,475,646.

Lindsey Travis, the library system’s director, said the grant will go towards renovating the Johnson Room at the C Street Library, the Grace Gasson Room at White Mountain Library, and the multipurpose room at the Sweetwater County Library in Green River. Specific plans regarding how each room will be updated haven’t been finalized yet. Krisena Marchal, the grants coordinator for the county, said the bid award needs to take place by Oct. 1, 2024, and the grant must be closed out by Sept. 30, 2026.

Marchal said the grant doesn’t require a cash match from the county or the library system and is from the Wyoming State Library. The funds originate from the Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund through the U.S. Department of the Treasury. She said renovations will address deficiencies such as faulty sound systems, poor acoustics, shortfalls in internet and digital access, as well as inefficient and unsafe spaces. The grant will also go towards addressing issues with a restroom that isn’t compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Marchal expects the county will receive the grant agreement in January as she and Public Works Director Gene Legerski will oversee financial compliance and construction respectively.

“We got the grant because of (Marchal,)” Travis said.

Sweetwater County Commissioner Island Richards said Tuesday the grant program had approximately $7 million available to the state libraries and Travis originally applied in the hopes of receiving partial funding for the room renovations. Speaking to SweetwaterNOW Wednesday, Travis said the program actually has approximately $12.6 million available to libraries.

“Apply for it all, hope for a little,” he said. “In an exciting twist, we were approved for the full funding in the amount of $1 million, 457 thousand and change to renovate meeting rooms at all three libraries.”