Years in the planning, a groundbreaking for the new Marian J. Mohr Memorial Library was held on Thursday, Dec. 10 at the site located behind the original building.

Shortly after noon, workers from Tower Construction, which won the bid for the project, hung a windscreen with the architectural rendering of the new building to show those in attendance the future of the site.

“I’ve been working on this for nine years … three different reiterations, but we’ll have a real nice building,” said architect Tom Lonardo.

By 2 p.m., members of the Town Council, library employees, trustees and Friends of Mohr Library joined Mayor Joseph Polisena behind a line of ceremonial shovels to officially start the project.

The original plan had called for a 30,000-square foot library at a cost of $7.5 million. That was in 2006, before the town, in financial turmoil and facing an estimated deficit as high as $10 million, had its finances put under the microscope of State Auditor Ernest Almonte. At the same time state aid was in jeopardy if certain standards were not met, including ADA handicapped accessibility.

Those standards met, however, and with additional funding coming from the Champlin Foundation, the cost was brought down significantly. The current design, more modest in size at 10,000 square feet, was proposed in 2008 at a cost of $3 million, a bond for which was approved by taxpayers in November 2008.

With new architectural drawings came a new timeline.

Tower Construction was awarded a contract in November and construction must be completed within 270 days of that pact.

The current library was built in 1961 for $61,000, with half the money donated by Ralph S. Mohr, in memory of his late wife Marian, to be matched by the town. He wanted to donate his property, but at the time it was determined that the library would best serve the community if it was located “near the new high school.”

The original building also held a ceremonial groundbreaking, on June 17, 1961.

While the library was being built, groups of civic-minded residents conducted book drives to fill the new building’s shelves.

In 1968, the estate of Ralph Mohr donated an additional $20,000 to building a new wing, which in 1969, became known as the Ralph S. Mohr Adult Reading Room that housed his extensive collection of books on local and Rhode Island history.

According to the library’s 10-year anniversary program, in 1961 the library had 6,987 books, 1,900 registered borrowers, three staff members, was open 24 hours each week and had an annual circulation of 20,446.

A decade later, the collection had grown to 24,843, with the number of registered borrowers numbering 5,427, 11 staff members and a facility that was open 50 hours each week.

Photos of the library’s interior, published in the souvenir program, show that the library hasn’t changed much physically in almost 40 years. What has changed is a collection that features electronic media and access to statewide libraries.

“We’re excited,” Lonardo said. “This project is near and dear to our hearts.”

His firm is also working on the town’s new fire station.

The current Mohr Library building will house the Johnston Municipal Courthouse after completion of the new building, according to Polisena.