About

In late 2019, the City of Frontenac was notified that they were the beneficiary of the Tavella family estate.  Richard and Jeanette (Guerrero) Tavella made their life in Kansas City but remained tied to their roots in Southeast Kansas.  Jeanette, a 1955 graduate of Frontenac High School and Richard, a 1956 graduate of Pittsburg High School, left a total of 4.5 million dollars to the city dedicated to building a Public Library.  This will be the first public library within Frontenac. The city moved forward with plans for the new library with the hire of a Library Director in October of 2022.  Plans continue to develop as the new library has contracted with Clark & Huesemann Architects out of Lawrence, Kansas. Architectural planning is currently in stage three of design, with plans to break ground in the Summer of 2024. The City of Frontenac gratefully acknowledges Richard and Jeanette Tavella for their overwhelming generosity towards establishing the Frontenac Public Library. This gift will serve Frontenac by providing access to information and resources, supporting literacy and education, promoting lifelong learning, and serving as a community gathering space for generations to come.