Biden Presidential Library to be built in Delaware

A fund-raising effort will be launched, headed by a board comprised of  friends and associates of the president. The  board overseeing the effort incudes  Biden's longtime  friend and retired Delaware bank president Fred Sears, and Tatiana  Copeland, a Delaware philanthropist and co-owner of a northern California winery.

As the media reports  noted, the fund-raising effort will face challenges in the current environment, with corporations  reluctant to provide funding, due to pressures that include continued attacks aimed at Biden from President Donald Trump, who has ignored the past tradition of presidents not commenting on their predecessor.

Trump is also known to go after corporate donors critical of the administration policies. Businesses are also facing challenge from tariffs ordered by Trump that are now being challenged in court.

Major donors to Democrats have been reluctant to open their wallets as the party copes with a 2024 election defeat after Biden decided not to run for another term. Biden was under pressure to not seek another term, due to concerns about his age and  health.

Similar concerns are now emerging regarding the current president.

Delaware had been competing with Pennsylvania for the library with the City of Wilmington lobbying for the center that would house his presidential papers.

The University of Delaware, which has a large tract at its STAR Campus, would seem to be a top choice. UD already houses Biden's papers from his long career as US Senator from Delaware.

Biden's presidential papers are currently stored in a facility in College Park, MD near Washington, D.C. The papers are kept by the National Archives.

Wilmington would also be a strong contender, due to his ties with the city.

Biden was born in the coal and railroad city of  Scranton, PA but moved to Claymont at a young age after his dad took a job at a car dealership.

He went on to graduate from Archmere Academy in Claymont and the University of Delaware and was awarded a law degree from Syracuse University.

Presidential libraries have become expensive over the years, with recent facilities adding space for research and conferences.

Costs have risen to as high as more than a billion and a half dollars for Barack Obama's Presidential Library in Chicago, which saw a lengthy fund-raising effort.

There have been fears that Biden, 82, might not live to see the opening of the library. The former president was recently diagnosed with a form of cancer but has continued to appear in public, most recently at the funeral for former Gov.. and Congressman Mike Castle.

Biden and his wife Jill continue to have homes near Greenville in northern Delaware and in a community near Rehoboth Beach.