On April 14, hundreds of residents turned out to celebrate the renaming and grand reopening of the newly refreshed Montgomery County Public Libraries’ Connie Morella Library, formerly called the Bethesda Library. The library is located at 7400 Arlington Road.
The facility is renamed to honor Connie Morella who served Montgomery County in the Maryland General Assembly from 1979 to 1986 and represented Montgomery County and Maryland’s 8th Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives from 1987 to 2003. Following her congressional service, Morella was appointed by President George W. Bush to serve as Ambassador to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development from 2003 until 2007. Morella is a founding member of the Maryland Women’s Hall of Fame and served as second President of the Montgomery County Commission for Women.
The refresh for the library includes new sit-stand circulation, information, and self-checkout desks; renovation of the public restrooms; new roof, painting and flooring; two new collaboration spaces; upgraded-lighting with improved energy-efficient and brighter LED lamps; outside enhancements which include book drops, bike racks, additional new furniture; motorized window shades, and many other enhancements.
Enhanced interior and exterior updates, including upgraded walkways and entrances that improved accessibility for people with disabilities.
Partial funding for the project was provided by the County Library Capital Grant Program, Maryland State Library, as authorized by the Maryland General Assembly and supported by the Montgomery County Delegation.
See the press release for more about the ceremony and refresh project.
