FAIRFIELD -- The Town Council on Wednesday night agreed to borrow $135,000 to purchase land and a home adjacent to the Lawrence Public Library.

Town Manager Paul Blanchette said Thursday that the loan rate from TD Banknorth is a little more than 5 percent. The property is owned by Marguerite Good.

The land, which takes up a little more than half an acre, would be used for a library expansion.

"We'll close on the land and house," Blanchette said. "Then it's going to be a waiting game to raise some money for the library to build an addition. This is not going to happen in the next year. The only reason we're buying the land is that it's available."

Fundraising will be necessary to pay for the project, Blanchette said.

Library director Louella Bickford agreed that the library expansion is a long-term proposition.

"This might be on the back burner, but we needed the land as soon as we could get it," Bickford said.

"Maybe we could sell the building. We just want the back land."

Bickford said that an add-on to the library could include space for technology, for teenagers and a genealogy room.

"We're just full," she said. "We just need land right now for the future."