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Yonkers Riverfront Library Receives Funds For State-Of-The-Art Tech Center

YONKERS, N.Y. -- Members of the Yonkers state delegation, which includes state Sens. Andrea Stewart-Cousins and George Latimer, and Assemblymembers Shelley Mayer and Gary Pretlow, were joined by Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano, to announce $285,000 combined funding from state and federal resources toward creation of a new state-of-the-art technology center at the Yonkers Public Library Riverfront Branch. 

State Sen. Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Assemblymember Shelley Mayer, Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano, Yonkers Public Library Director Stephen Force, Edward Falcone, deputy director of the library, Councilman Christopher Johnson, library staff and trustees

State Sen. Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Assemblymember Shelley Mayer, Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano, Yonkers Public Library Director Stephen Force, Edward Falcone, deputy director of the library, Councilman Christopher Johnson, library staff and trustees

Photo Credit: Contributed

The new technology center will allow the library to consolidate technology instruction in one centralized state-of-the-art location. The space will accommodate classes of up to 30 patrons, who will get hands-on experience with laptops, tablets, as well as a wide variety of popular computer programs.

The new room will also have a digital media lab to allow audio and video production and editing. The lab will have a control room, a recording room, and a 'green screen' for video effects. A third component of the center will be a 'makerspace' room that will allow users to collaborate on projects using 3-D printers and other equipment. Through the 2013-14 Library Construction grant program of the State Education Department, Stewart-Cousins and Pretlow delivered $74,946 in funding.

Mayer secured $100,000 in funding through the New York State Assembly's Community Capital Assistance Program (CCAP) for the technology center. The Community Capital Assistance Program (CCAP) provides grants to promote community improvement within New York, including education, transportation, and economic development projects.

Spano and the City of Yonkers Planning Department helped secure a $110,000 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), which is a federal program that helps communities address their unique needs.  Stephen Force, director of Yonkers Public Library, was grateful for the efforts of the city and state leaders.  

"Thanks to the combined efforts of our state and city leaders we will be able to bring a great new resource and new services to our users. This technology center will be something really special."   

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