Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz has proposed more than $575,000 in upgrades to the Towson Branch of the Baltimore County Public Library in his fiscal 2017 budget.
Kamenetz proposes to spend $100,000 — $75,000 of which would come from the county and $25,000 from library fundraising or grants — to upgrade the library's mezzanine and create a Business Center of Excellence at the library, according to a budget analysis by the Office of the County Auditor.
"The Center will assist county residents with employment skills and job applications, career research, market research and business plans, entrepreneurship, economic gardening and financial skills," the budget analysis states.
The library system's strategic plan includes creating a Center of Excellence at each branch in the county, according to the analysis. Each center would be focused on its community's demographics and needs.
In addition to the business center, library officials would spend $500,000 to replace the Towson branch's failing HVAC system. The County Council is scheduled to vote on Kamenetz's budget proposal on May 26.
At a County Council work session on May 16, Baltimore County Public Library director Paula Miller spoke with members of the council about the system's proposed budget of $40.6 million for fiscal 2017, an increase of $542,000 over the current fiscal year. The system operates 20 branches.
County Council member David Marks said Miller addressed rumors about the Towson library moving from its current location at the meeting. The library will not be moving, said Marks, who represents Towson.
"The library is going to take on more of a role as a community hub in the future," Marks added.
Later this month, the branch will begin accepting passport applications on behalf of the U.S. Department of State, library spokeswoman Linda Frederick said Tuesday. The passport program launched at the Arbutus Branch in January 2015.