The Darby Free Library in Darby Borough has received a $13,000 grant from the Delaware County Memorial Hospital (DCMH) Medical Staff Fund of The Foundation for Delaware County.

“We’re gratified and honored to support our nation’s oldest library providing continued service, right here in Darby Borough where many of our patients live,”  said Stephen A. Shore, MD,  Chair of the DCMH Medical Staff.

The library is located at Main Street and North 10th Street in Darby Borough, It was established in 1743  and is the nation’s oldest library providing continued service.

Its mission remains “to encourage and foster among the residents of the Borough of Darby and its vicinity, the spirit of self-improvement by the establishment and maintenance of a Library and the promotion of the moral and intellectual growth.”

The Library is part of the Delaware County Libraries system but is operated and administered by the nonprofit Darby Library Company, a 501c3 corporation.

The Library provides essential services to the local community, which includes underserved and disadvantaged residents.

Many borough residents rely on the library for access to computers and the internet, as well as books, homework help, and programs for their children.

The Library building is eligible for nomination to the National Registry of Historic Places.

A recent walk-through survey revealed that the Library requires structural stabilization of the brick masonry gable end walls.

This grant will cover an assessment that will determine the condition of the structural walls, along with recommendations for building stabilization, and for cost estimates of the repairs and related work.

Learn more about Darby Library

About The Foundation for Delaware County

A public charity founded in 2016, The Foundation for Delaware County is the largest philanthropy serving Delaware County.

One of 780 community foundations across the U.S., the foundation encourages philanthropy by providing efficient giving vehicles like donor-advised funds, gift annuities, and estate planning advice to generous individuals who want to have an impact in Delaware County and beyond, and serves as a convener across sectors to address challenging community issues such as the need for a county health department.

The foundation operates the new Center for Nonprofit Excellence and makes grants to strengthen Delaware County’s nonprofit community.

The foundation recently distributed more than $2.1M in Impact Grants and $1M from its Delaware County COVID-19 Response Fund.

With headquarters in Media and service sites in Eddystone, Upper Darby and Springfield, The Foundation for Delaware County also operates the prestigious evidence-based programs Healthy Start, the WIC nutrition program, and Nurse-Family Partnership.

Other programs include Drug-Free Communities, El Centro (a Hispanic resource center), and a health resource center for students in the Chester Upland School District, which serves one of the region’s poorest communities.

To learn more, visit the foundation on the web at www.delcofoundation.org and follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter at @DelcoFdn.

Take a walking tour of Darby Free Library.