Five St. Lawrence County libraries will receive funding for rehabilitation and improvements in accessibility, technology and services, according to two North Country state representatives.

Assemblymember Addie J. Russell, D-Theresa and Sen. Patricia Ritchie R-Heuvelton say they helped secure more than $143,000 for local libraries.

Libraries in Rensselaer Falls, Waddington, Morristown, Norfolk and Norwood will receive the funding throughout the New York State Public Library Construction Grant Program.

Full list of libraries that received construction aid in the 116th Assembly District:

• Canton Free Library’s Rensselaer Falls Branch will receive $9,415 to improve service to residents of the rural village by adding a Technology Center.

• Hepburn Library of Waddington will receive $5,769 to address safety issues by renovating the sub-floors and installing new flooring on the entire second story.

• Morristown Public Library will receive $79,065 for a project including the acquisition and demolition of the building next to the library in preparation for library expansion.

• Norwood Public Library will $34,157 for a Handicap Accessibility/Energy Efficiency Project that addresses safety/access to the library and energy issues.

• Norfolk will receive $14,910 in funding. Further details regarding projects there were not provided.

The grant program is designed to help fund construction costs of public libraries with needs ranging from routine maintenance to full-scale renovations.

“Libraries form an integral part of our communities by bringing people together and creating an environment for collaboration and learning to take place,” Russell said. “This aid will go a long way to ensure our libraries are able to continue serving that role in the North Country for years to come.”

Russell says she helped secure the grant money from an appropriation of $14 million in capital funds for public library construction in the 2014-15 state budget, which can provide up to 75 percent of approved costs of acquisition, construction, renovation, or rehabilitation of public libraries or public library system headquarters.

Russell, represents St. Lawrence County towns along the St. Lawrence River plus the towns of Canton, Potsdam, Rossie, Macomb, and DePeyster, and part of Jefferson County.

Ritchie represents the western half of St. Lawrence County including Ogdensburg, Canton and Gouverneur, plus parts of Jefferson and Oswego counties.