Hadley Breaks Ground on New Library
October 31, 2019
Matthew Perry
Outreach Coordinator
1-800-952-7403 x208
matthew.s.perry@state.ma.us
On October 16, 2019, residents and officials gathered to break ground on the new Hadley Public Library. The $8.2 million project is funded in part by a $3.9 million grant from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program (MPLCP).
Commissioner Jan Resnick represented the Board at the event, congratulated the town on behalf of the other Commissioners and Governor Baker. “Libraries are like a flock of hot air balloons rising in the morning” she said. “They are full of beauty and promise, and you never know where you are going to go.”
The brand new building will take the place of the original Goodwin Memorial Library which was built in 1902, and has been changed very little since. The construction is taking place on a site directly behind the current building, and the 1902 structure will not be taken down. The new design will replace the current three story building with an accessible one floor space that is double the size and features a large multipurpose meeting room, dedicated spaces for children and teens, and updated technology to meet the needs of Hadley’s residents.
Christian Stanley, chair of the Hadley Select Board noted that the town is now experiencing the first updates to public facilities in twenty-five years. In addition to the library, a new $7.1 million senior center is being built down the road, along with other planned upgrades.
Photos from the event can be seen the MBLC’s Flickr page.
The MPLCP has benefitted more than 250 towns and cities in Massachusetts since its inception in 1987. Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program projects are currently underway in Dartmouth, Erving, Marlborough, Medford, Monterey, Norwell, Sherborn, Springfield, and Weymouth.
The MBLC is currently seeking additional bond funding in order to fund all libraries on the waitlist and start a new grant round. It is also requesting an increase in the yearly capital budget from $20 million to $25 million in order move through the waitlist in a timelier manner and save local communities the increased construction costs that come with waiting several years for the state funding needed to start projects. For more information about the MPLCP please visit the MBLC’s website.
About MBLC
The Board of Library Commissioners (mass.gov/mblc) is the agency of state government with the statutory authority and responsibility to organize, develop, coordinate and improve library services throughout the Commonwealth. The Board advises municipalities and library trustees on the operation and maintenance of public libraries, including construction and renovation. It administers state and federal grant programs for libraries and promotes cooperation among all types of libraries through regional library systems and automated resource sharing. It also works to ensure that all residents of the Commonwealth, regardless of their geographic location, social or economic status, age, level of physical or intellectual ability or cultural background, have access to essential new electronic information technologies and significant electronic databases.