Jenkintown Borough announced in late July that it is seeking proposals for consultants for design and engineering services regarding a Jenkintown Library master plan.

The consultant would assess the existing facility and develop a long-range plan “to guide the library’s transformation into a 21st Century community anchor institution,” officials said in a statement. The project is anticipated to take four to six months and has an estimated start date of October 1.”

The community would then be presented with the consultant’s recommendations for an expansion or a reconfiguration of the existing space. The consultant would use the feedback to create a master plan.

Officials said the project has a not-to-exceed budget of $163,800.

The current library, formerly known as the Jenkins’ Town Lyceum Building, was built in 1839 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. More historical details about the building can be found here.

Officials said the need for a master plan is driven in part by the library’s increasing patronage.

“This increase in usage has accelerated as the renter community in Jenkintown has increased, owing to two new apartment complexes within walking distance of the library in the last three years,” the request for proposals states. “Library card holders
have increased 23% in the Borough in the last five years, leading to an unprecedented 30% of the borough’s over 4,700 residents being active library card users as of October 2025. We’ve also seen a 28% increase in users from Philadelphia as compared to last year.”

On Monday, the borough announced two addenda to the request.

From the request for proposals:

As a community anchor institution, the Library must be seen as a safe space for families, children, and all community visitors. The need for a master plan is the first step in the Jenkintown Library Board’s vision of a 21st Century Library for Jenkintown, and likely the most critical step in realizing that vision. The Jenkintown Library identified a master plan and subsequent renovation project as a critical need through a combination of direct patron feedback, staff observations, and analysis of usage data and building conditions. It offers a wide range of services and programs, with traditional and eLibrary collections. The Jenkintown Library is led by a director, Nina Meister, with nine Board of Trustees members, including four officers. A significant portion of the Library’s funding is from Jenkintown Borough real estate taxes.

The request notes that the library received an $81,900 Keystone Grant this year from the State of Pennsylvania
with a 100% matching cash requirement to fund the master plan.

Proposals are due on or before 4:00pm on Friday, September 4.

For all the latest news, follow us on Facebook or sign up for Glenside Local’s “Daily Buzz” newsletter here.