NEWS RELEASE

The construction team from Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioner’s (MBLC) Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program (MPLCP) has come up with a new way to connect with librarians and others interested in public library construction. The “Building Literacy: Public Library Construction” podcast explores all topics relevant to the entire construction process.

“Our Sustainability Summit had to be cancelled due to the pandemic but we still wanted to get the information out to our libraries, so we became quick learners and figured-out podcasting,” said Andrea Bunker, Library Building Specialist at the MBLC. “We encourage anyone with even a thought of undertaking any building project of any scale to listen to these episodes, as sustainability goals must be identified early and remain a priority throughout the process.”

In episode one “Sustainability and Building Performance: An Interview with Building Evolution Corporation”, Ms. Bunker spoke with Building Evolution Corporation's (BEC) Wesley Stanhope, BEC's Founder and CEO, and Ken Neuhauser, BEC's President, about practical steps to plan for and implement partial and whole-building projects that achieve energy goals while not compromising other aspects of building performance.

In episode two  “Designing for Sustainability: An Interview with Finegold Alexander Architects”, the discussion focuses on how architects approach the integration of sustainable measures within the design process to reduce energy load and usage and how it impacts project budgets. Finegold Alexander Architects’ Ellen Anselone, Rebecca Berry, Josephine Penta, and Beth Pearcy are interviewed.  

Plans for future episodes are based on the substantial feedback the team received while in the process of updating the Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program which has been in existence since 1987. “It was clear that stakeholders in public library construction projects are seeking as much in-depth information and as many mentorship opportunities as possible throughout the process. The podcast allows listeners to access the episodes as the topics arise in their own building project trajectory,” said Bunker.

Future episodes will include everything from advocacy and fundraising to what to expect a year after your new and improved public library opens. Questions stemming from an existing episode, specific topic suggestions for other episodes, or interest in being interviewed for a mentorship and lessons learned episode, may be sent to MBLC Library Building Specialist Andrea Bunker at andrea.bunker@state.ma.us

Current Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program projects that have been paused due to COVID-19 are Boston, Dartmouth, Erving, Greenfield, Hadley, Littleton, Marlborough, Medford, Norwell, Sharon, Sherborn, Springfield, and Weymouth. The program is also waiting for bond funding to fund projects that are on the waitlist.

In the podcast, companies and firms are and will be featured, sharing their expertise and knowledge with library building project stakeholders in an effort to create a better, more informed experience. In no way does the featuring of these companies or firms on this podcast constitute an endorsement or a promotion of those companies or firms by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. These interviews are meant to serve as an educational resource only.