Biden selects Delaware for his presidential library, with his team focusing on fundraising efforts

Biden Announces Plans for Presidential Library in Delaware

Former President Joe Biden has decided to build his presidential library in Delaware, a state that he considers to have "propelled his entire political career." The Biden library team is in the early stages of planning, with a 13-person governance board approved to steer the project.

Biden, born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, but raised in Delaware, graduated from the University of Delaware in 1965. He later launched the Biden Institute, a research and policy center focused on domestic issues at the university. The Biden library team has begun talks with Delaware leaders to assess potential partnerships.

Elected officials in Delaware are cheering Biden's decision. Governor Matt Meyer stated, "To Delaware, he will always be our favorite son." This sentiment echoes Biden's political narrative, as working-class Scranton became a touchstone in his long career.

The Biden library team is planning an immersive museum detailing Biden's four years in office and a hub for leadership, service, and civic engagement. The financing and provision of resources for the library's development are managed by the private organization "The Biden Foundation," which oversees fundraising and resource allocation.

The cost of presidential libraries has increased over the years. The George H.W. Bush library cost about $43 million, the Clinton library about $165 million, and the George W. Bush library met a $500 million fundraising goal. The Biden library team faces the challenge of fundraising during a fragmented Democratic party and a possible hesitance from donors due to political tensions.

Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump has won millions of dollars in lawsuits against several companies, with parts of those settlements directed for a future Trump library. Trump has also accepted a free Air Force One replacement from the Qatar government, stating that the $400 million plane would be donated to his future presidential library. The Obama Foundation has set a fundraising goal of $1.6 billion for its library.

The Biden library team has met with officials operating 12 of the 13 presidential libraries managed by the National Archives and Records Administration, as well as Obama library officials to discuss programming and location considerations. The Biden library will not be located at the Herbert Hoover library in Iowa, as it is currently closed for renovations.

The Biden library board includes former senior White House aides Elizabeth Alexander, Julissa Reynoso Pantaleónt, Cedric Richmond, David Cohen, Tatiana Brandt Copeland, Jeff Peck, Fred C. Sears II, Marty Walsh, Shalanda Young, and former Delaware Governor Jack Markell. The team is still in the early stages of planning, but the initial vision is clear: a library that reflects Biden's commitment to leadership, service, and civic engagement.

Biden selects Delaware for his presidential library, with his team focusing on fundraising efforts