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A historic and scenic walkway along the Connecticut River is about to grow by more than two miles, as local and state leaders announced new funding this week to expand the Hartford Riverwalk into the neighboring town of Windsor.

The project is being funded through a combination of state and federal grants, including a $517,519 allocation from Gov. Ned Lamont’s office and a $2.6 million grant from the Federal Highway Administration’s Transportation Alternatives Program. 

As public libraries continue to expand their roles, a joint investment will soon ready Hartford’s library for the next generation, according to state and city officials.

“A library is not what it used to be,” House Speaker Matt Ritter, D-Hartford, said. “It’s so different. If you come in here on a Saturday or a Tuesday, it’s not just young kids reading in a corner. It’s now we have UConn students studying here. We have people taking immigration classes. We have folks using it to check their email. It is a modern, vibrant institution, and it’s very different.”

The Hartford Public Library — which reopened its downtown branch in November after a devastating flood closed it for two years — announced Monday that it is launching a public campaign to raise a portion of $12.5 million, aimed at transforming the library’s main branch for the 21st century.