Forsyth County Public Library officials and local dignitaries broke ground recently on a renovation and expansion of the Sharon Forks Library, 2820 Old Atlanta Road, Cumming.

The $7.2 million project will almost double the building’s current size, and will include a larger community meeting room, a dedicated teen room, six study rooms, an expanded bookstore and an automated drive-through book return.

Officials say the refurbishing is badly needed, as both the number of patrons visiting and the number of items checked out each year has both grown by more than 300 percent since the branch opened in 2000 as the library system’s second location.

Money for the work is coming from a combination of SPLOST VII tax collections, Forsyth County impact fees and a state construction grant.