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LILY DALE - A new page is about to be turned in the annals of Lily Dale's Marion H. Skidmore Library.

A $7,500 grant recently was awarded by the Buffalo-based Western New York Library Resource Council to the Lily Dale Assembly for library system improvements.

One of the projects planned will provide Internet access to the library's collection of rare books and other valuable publications.

The information was relayed at the assembly's annual meeting by Lynne Forget, a member of the Lily Dale Board of Trustees and chairman of the Marion Skidmore Library Committee.

Noting the committee had been working on library projects since November 2005, Forget said the grant had been obtained with assistance of Jack Erickson, retired archivist at the State University at Fredonia and a member of the library committee.

The committee - also including Sessla Skowronski, the assembly's librarian, Joe Shiel and Pauline Kay - is completing an inventory of books, Forget said. The work is expected to be wrapped up by early September.

'Once we've completed that process,' she said, 'a professional will catalog the collection and another project will be undertaken, making it possible for books of the library system to be identified online.'

The committee, Forget said, is hoping to complete the entire project before the 2009 season.

Meanwhile, the library environment is being monitored by a preservation/environmental device to help the committee determine proper heating and air controls for the building.

In closing her report, Forget thanked the board 'for its foresight and wonderful support of the library project. The library is a very valuable resource for Lily Dale, and for all spiritualists, researchers, and historians.'

Earlier in the session, Lynne Wiltsie, assembly president, reported proceeds of the summer's Victorian Seance - an annual library fundraiser - would provide a financial boost of $3,510 for the library.

Moreover, upon the official's recommendation, assembly members authorized the board to 'free funds' of an escrow account established two years ago, and to earmark the $2,500 in the account to start a Library Improvement and Betterment Fund.