1. Will the Sharon Public Library lose certification if it closes due to repairs and renovations? 

A.  Yes.  The Town Library is certified as long as it meets certain regulations including staying open for a minimum number of hours.  If the library is closed due to extensive repairs, the state can deny certification. To prevent this, the Town would have to rent a space and move the library in order to maintain certification.
2.  What happens if the Sharon Public Library loses its certification?
A.  Sharon residents can only have access to its own collection.  Other certified town libraries are not required to lend materials to patrons from non-certified towns.  They would not have access to the resources of the Library for the Commonwealth at BPL. They would not have access to the statewide research databases.  Re-certification is very difficult to obtain once it is lost.
3. If this project isn't funded by town vote, do we lose our grant and standing? 
A. Yes.
4. How long will it be before the town can apply for another grant? 
A. There are over 25 towns in this grant round that are on the current award list. This will take another 10 years to fund them.  The state won't offer another grant round for many more years. 
5. Will this library last for another 10 years?   
A. Not without major cost to the town tax-payers.  The estimate to re-build this current library without adding any space is 8.5 million. This is just to meet state building code requirements and repair long standing structural and other issues. 
6. What is the cost to fund the new library?
A. Approximately 9 million. This includes the state grant award of $7.5 million and the funds raised by the Sharon Public Library Foundation. 
7. Is the new library adaptable for future change?
A. Yes, the new library is built so it can be modified to accommodate future changes over 50+ years.
8. I live near the 1 School Street site but I don't like the brick work.  Can that be changed to match the rest of the building?
A. Yes, to change the brick work out to hardy board which is what the front area is designed with, the town would save 1/2 million dollars.