Palmerton has applied for a grant to aid a broad restoration project at the Palmerton Area Library.

Borough council last week unanimously approved a resolution to apply for a Local Share Account Statewide grant for the library.

Councilman Richard Nothstein said that the borough will apply for a grant in the amount of $600,000.

In September, the borough applied for $252,000 from the Monroe County Local Share Gaming grant.

Library Director Christine DeSousa said the money will be used to fix some of the biggest problem areas in the building, with work expected to resume sometime in the spring.

The library is currently in the midst of a large restoration project.

Phase 1 of the project, the portion of the west wall, has been completed, and cost about $75,700.

Marian Hoffner, vice president of the library’s board of trustees, said last year the renovation project would likely cost about $1 million.

In addition to the grants. Hoffner said the library was also looking to raise money locally, as it isn’t just the building program it has to deal with, but also funding for the library in general.

Hoffner added that along with looking to finance the building project, the library also wants to not only be able to maintain the services that it offers, but also expand them.

Jack Wogenrich, treasurer for the library, told Palmerton Borough Council that the library had been putting a “band aid” on building damage for the last eight to 10 years, spending about $100,000.

The parapet top stone was slated for removal, and a water diversion system installed that will channel the rainwater from dripping down the parapet wall to the roof membrane and then to the drain.

Also, the stones on the outside of the building would be cleaned and restored, plus the silicone join compound would be removed and replaced with a sand-based grout that will breathe and release water instead of sealing it in.