CARTERVILLE - With an architect on board, the only thing standing between the Tri-C area and a new library is the needed funds.

Anne West Lindsey, who died in October of 2005, left $1.5 million and five acres of land to the library, but her estate has yet to be closed. White and Borgognoni Architects of Carbondale will design the new building, but can't proceed until the library sees the money. The new building would be located about a half-mile north of the present building on North Division Street.

"We would like to build the library as soon as possible, but we can't do that until we get the funds," Carterville Public Library Director Jane Robertson said.

Richard Hart, the attorney in charge of Lindsey's estate, said the main source for the holdup is that the money Lindsey left behind is not enough for the library Carterville needs. Hart said the architects estimated a new library to cost about $2.7 million and the board has to solicit the money from other sources before building can begin.

The library district especially needs the new building because on July 1 it went from serving Carterville to include the entire Tri-C district of Carterville, Crainville and Cambria. Robertson said especially since being bumped up to a district library, they've outgrown the building.

"We've been in the present location for 25 years and we're pretty well cramped," Robertson said.

She said she knows it can take a while for finances to get ironed out, but citizens are getting impatient.

"We get questions every day," Robertson said. "They want to know when we're going to start digging."

When the library moves out, the Carterville Police Department plans to move into the facility. The police now share a building with Carterville Fire Department. However, until they get the money they need everyone will stay right where they are. Robertson said she hopes everything is resolved soon because people in the Tri-C area want a new library.

"If they don't see building, they're going to get upset," Robertson said. "I think it's important that we start building as soon as we can."

codell.rodriguez@thesouthern.com

351-5804