Ribbon-Cutting and Dedication Ceremony Scheduled to Rename the Bethesda Library to Honor Connie Morella

For Immediate Release: Monday, April 2, 2018

County Executive Ike Leggett invites residents to a dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony on Saturday, April 14 at 10 a.m. to celebrate the renaming and grand reopening of the newly refreshed Montgomery County Public Libraries’ Bethesda Library. The library is located at 7400 Arlington Road.

The facility will be renamed Connie Morella Library in honor of Connie Morella who served in the Maryland General Assembly from 1979 to 1986 and represented Montgomery County and Maryland’s 8th Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives from 1987 to 2003. Following her congressional service Morella was appointed by President George W. Bush to serve as Ambassador to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development from 2003 until 2007. Morella is a founding member of the Maryland Women’s Hall of Fame and served as second President of the Montgomery County Commission for Women.

“Connie epitomizes our ideal of a political leader, an independent-minded elected official willing to stand on principle against partisan pressures," said County Executive Ike Leggett. “As a teacher and as a professor of English at Montgomery College, Connie’s passion for learning, language, and literacy match the vision of the Montgomery County Public Libraries as open, inviting, and vital gateways to information, ideas, and enrichment.”

The refresh for the library includes new sit-stand circulation, information, and self-checkout desks; renovation of the public restrooms; new roof, painting and flooring; two new collaboration spaces; upgraded lighting with improved energy efficient and brighter LED lamps; outside enhancements which include book drops, bike racks, sidewalk and parking lot improvements; limited new furniture; motorized window shades and many other enhancements.

The facility will reopen immediately after the ceremony. The Friends of the Library, Bethesda chapter will serve refreshments.

More information on the refresh project is available at Department of General Services website.

 

Release ID: 18-498
Media Contact: Judy Stiles 240-777-6536