Kutztown Community Library will be able to better serve its patrons thanks to a state grant being awarded this week, state Rep. Gary Day, R-187th, said March 13.

“Our community libraries are vital because they provide so many resources to our local residents,” Day said. “That’s why I am so pleased to see that a state grant will allow Kutztown Community Library to replace its outdated HVAC system to more efficiently operate and better afford other essential services.”

The $20,000 Keystone Grant, awarded by the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s Office of Commonwealth Libraries, will allow the library to replace its HVAC unit and install a programmable thermostat.

Those upgrades will allow the library to operate far more efficiently.

The library currently faces high energy costs due to an improperly sized system that makes everyday operations inefficient and costly.

The library serves residents of Kutztown, Greenwich Township, Maxatawny Township and Lyons Borough.

In 2015, 77,436 visitors went to the Kutztown Community Library, which also hosted 414 programs for patrons of all ages.