JAMESTOWN, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – It started out as a dream, and will continue as a dream.

The Friends of the James River Valley Library System (FJRVLS) board held their 2nd annual meeting December 11th to discuss the 2018 year and look forward to 2019. During the meeting, the board and public learned about the different ways the FJRVLS was assisting the Alfred Dickey Library and Stutsman County Library through fundraising and advocacy.

The objectives of the group is the increase how the community values the library, increase the value of the library to the community, and increase literacy and lifelong learning in the community. Library Director Joe Rector says the Alfred Dickey Library came into existence all thanks to a dream.

Rector says the dream continues to make the library accessible for the years to come. He says a lot of the recent renovations have come as part of the library’s preparation for the centennial celebration in 2019.

Rector says they will be looking to the past and honoring Louis L’Amour, Edna LaMoore Waldo, and more. He also highlighted the hope to expand the currently 14,000 square foot library to 25,000 square feet with a future expansion.

Rector says the expansion would involve combining the Stutsman County Library with the Alfred Dickey Library and expanding to the North. Development Director Bill Kennedy informed the FJRVLS that their biggest goals in 2019 were to continue supporting the library and the Centennial Celebration.

The Centennial Celebration will be the week of February 19th through the 23rd with the actual centennial day of the library opening being February 22nd.