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By Kris Leonhardt

COLBY – A dedication ceremony was held Feb. 17 to mark the completion of the new Colby Community Library.

Ground was broken May 1 for the new library at 505 W. Spence St., Colby, to replace the Colby Public Library’s facility located in Colby City Hall.

The Colby Public Library previously resided in a remodeled portion of the city hall that once served as the city’s fire station. The 2,400-square-foot portion of the 64-year-old building had become inadequate, and the Colby Public Library Building Committee made plans create a new facility.

A set of anonymous donors, later identified as the children of Pearl and Gorton Vorland, stepped forward to initiate the project that was led by Library Director Vicky Calmes and backed by the city of Colby and a public campaign.

The Vorland family’s donation qualified them to name the new library, and they chose to rename the facilities the Colby Community Library.

The $2.2 million project included the demolition and removal of the former Colby School District center/Elementary School on the property.

In recognition of Pearl’s contribution to local history and the library itself, a photo hangs above the fireplace in the history room of the state-of-the art facility, flanked by brick retained from the demolished elementary school.

Public campaign opportunities are still available. For more information, visit http://www.colbypubliclibrary.org.