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Back To School: Governor Celebrates Library Opening In Baltimore

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Maryland's top brass goes back to school. The governor helped celebrate the opening of a beautiful new library in Northwest Baltimore.

Jessica Kartalija reports it's part of the Elementary and Middle School Library Project.

Before a packed room of parents and politicians, students at Arlington Elementary/Middle celebrate the grand opening of their new library.

"I like the library, of course," said Isaiah Hughes.

This library is one of two opening this week, thanks to $10 million from the Weinberg Foundation.

"These spaces mean that you expect our children to succeed and expectations do, in fact, become behavior," said Governor Martin O'Malley.

The private donation will help build as many as 24 new public school libraries. An additional $3 million from the state goes toward creating green spaces for outdoor reading.

"We are not doing enough for our children. We have to do better and we have to do better together," said Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake.

In addition to beautiful space, there's plenty to read with books and e-readers ready for students.

"I think it will be great to use, especially for projects for school and just to read books," Hughes said.

In addition to the libraries, the Weinberg Foundation has also partnered with the Maryland Food Bank to provide mobile food pantries to public school children.

The Enoch Pratt Library also received a $3 million grant from the Weinberg Foundation to renovate the Library Resource Center.

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