The Ethelbert B. Crawford Library Board of Trustees will seek a public referendum on August 9 to bond $5.3 million to build a new public library at 479 Broadway.

The proposed library would be housed in the building formerly occupied by Cohen’s Bakery. The 10,800-square-foot, two-story building would be transformed into a state-of-the-art library featuring 7,300 additional square feet and would double the space for the library’s collection of over 30,000 books, 5,000 media items and 900 periodicals. There would be more space for community meetings and study spaces, a large parking lot and handicapped accessibility to all areas.

Voters in the towns of Bethel, Forestburgh and Thompson will be asked to approve a bond act to be financed over 30 years. Property owners would pay as much as $16 more per year per $100,000 of equalized assessed value of their home. Visit www.NewCrawfordLibrary.com.