Lifelong farmer Alan Cragun enjoys reading biographies and John Grisham tales during the winter and on rainy days.

His journey to check out new books — literally — just got closer to home.

Cragun lives two miles from the Whitestown branch of the Hussey-Mayfield Memorial Public Library, which opened in April. The library received $13,257 in Power Moves® rebates from Boone REMC, its local electric cooperative, for energy efficiency upgrades in the new building. Cragun visited the library and was enthused about the different parts of the building, including a community room that can host more than 180 people.

“That community room will be used for many different things,” said Cragun, who serves on Boone REMC’s board of directors and represents the district that includes the new library. “They put their heads together when they designed the library. They really came up with some good things.”

The 23,000-square-foot library sits on 11 acres, including wooded areas and walking trails connecting with nearby neighborhoods. The library features an indoor/outdoor fireplace and seating for visitors to read and work outside. Architects designed the building to “bring the outdoors inside,” said Kaki Garard, director of advancement for the Hussey-Mayfield Memorial Public Library.

“As a mother of a teenager, I think it’s particularly wonderful that we’ll have a teen area and a dedicated teen librarian,” Garard said.

“That allows people to have a space to come and learn. We have put a real focus on creating dedicated space for all ages so that they can feel welcome.”

Whitestown has been one of the fastest-growing Indiana communities for the last decade, Garard said. The original Hussey-Mayfield Memorial Public Library is located in nearby Zionsville, so it was a natural fit for the organization to build the new branch in Whitestown.

“It has been long in the making,” Garard said of the new location. “With so much growth and so many young families with children, there certainly was a need for additional library services in the area.”

The new branch’s energy efficiency upgrades include LED lights, which are brighter and use less energy than traditional lighting, and variable frequency drives, which provide greater control of electricity in the heating and cooling system. The library also includes energy-efficient air source heat pumps, which function by moving heat and cold from the air rather than conditioning it, which requires more electricity.

“We are thrilled to partner with the Hussey-Mayfield Memorial Public Library on incentives for equipment that will reduce long-term energy use and lower costs,” said Mandy Saucerman, communications director for Boone REMC. “The library is an invaluable partner in the community. We are excited about the new opportunities and programs offered at the new library.”

Boone REMC also sponsored the Whitestown library’s new podcast studio. The 10-year sponsorship provides equipment and a specially designed studio for community members who want to record podcasts or other programs.

“The library features numerous amenities for the community to offer local residents a variety of services,” Saucerman said. “The chance to sponsor the Boone REMC Recording Studio is a unique way to connect with library visitors who want to use this space.”

The Boone REMC Operation Round Up board of trustees awarded the Whitestown branch a grant for $2,500 to help with the library’s StoryWalk, which features pages of a book installed along a walking path, along with PeaPod book bags and VOX Readers that “transform print books into all-in-one read-alongs,” Garard said.

The library opened with 60,000 new books. Cragun, the Boone REMC director, visited during the grand opening and looks forward to the programs the library will offer visitors of all ages.

“It’s a value for the community and for the whole area,” Cragun said. “I am sure I’ll be there every couple of days, especially in the wintertime.”