The John McIntire Library receives $650,000 for their remodel

2 hours ago

Johnathon Dennison,

Tim Linn sits in front of a check to the John McIntire Library to fund their ongoing remodel. Linn is the president of the board for the Zanesville Canal and Manufacturing Company which oversees John McIntire's estate to help fund educational opportunities for impoverished children in Zanesville.

ZANESVILLE, Ohio – John McIntire founded Zanesville over 200 years ago but his contributions to the community continue.

The Zanesville Canal and Manufacturing Company, founded by McIntire, manages his estate with a mission to support the education of children from low-income families. The company recently awarded the John McIntire Library with $650,000 for their ongoing remodel.

“When we found out about this donation, it was very much a surprise. We had been talking about it but I had no idea how large it would be and, really, I was in shock,” said Stacey Russell, the executive director for the Muskingum County Library System. “It kind of pushed our project over the top, allowed us to complete the project in totality as we wanted to so, it’s a big deal for our project. ”

The money comes at a crucial time for the project as state funding for libraries has been significantly reduced by the state legislature this year. Tim Linn from the Zanesville Canal and Manufacturing Company and says supporting the library perfectly aligns with McIntire’s goals to support the education of impoverished youth and was happy to step up and make this large contribution.

“The remodeling project is going to open up a number of opportunities for children. They have dedicated areas for reading, for hands on projects,” Linn said. “It’s encouraging for us to see that this library is so proactive in helping young people and that’s what we’re looking forward to, is seeing a successful project that can help educate and enhance the lives of disadvantaged young people. ”

The Zanesville Canal and Manufacturing Company also funds the John McIntire Education Fund which is administered by the Muskingum County Community Foundation.