Westmoreland Review

Rep. Eric Davanzo announced that the Sewickley Township Library has secured a grant from the Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority (PBDA) to establish a new facility. The library, which moved to a smaller building in February 2023, had to store two-thirds of its printed materials due to space constraints.

Davanzo emphasized the importance of the library as a community resource, stating, “The Sewickley Township Library is a resource for many people and, amazingly, they have kept offering programs by partnering with other nonprofits. But it is time for folks to have a library facility that meets their needs.”

The $1 million grant comes from the PBDA’s Multi-Purpose Community Facilities Program and is funded by the Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund under the federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. These grants support projects aimed at constructing or improving facilities open to the public that enable work, education, and health monitoring.

The new project will not only allow programs to return to the library but also include computer spaces for online education, job interviews, or telehealth appointments. Davanzo highlighted the significance of internet access in rural areas: “Access to high-speed internet has become a significant concern for rural Pennsylvanians and this project is just one of the ways we can fill the gap.”