Moving ahead on new library branch

Though site selection is ongoing, the City of Boston is moving forward on plans to build a new branch library in East Boston. There is $2.5 million in this year's city budget to acquire a site and design the building, and a "Request for Qualifications" was just issued by the Public Facilities Department -- a first step in choosing an architectural firm for the project. The RFQ deadline is August 11, and the estimated cost of the final project is currently $9.4 million.