Swansea Breaks Ground on New Library
June 01, 2024
Celeste Bruno
Communications Director
6177251860
celeste.bruno@mass.gov
On June 1, 2024 the residents of Swansea joined with local and state officials to break ground on the new Swansea Free Library. Designed to welcome the entire community, the project will renovate the original library, which was built in 1900 for a population of 1600, demolish the 1964 addition and add a new addition to meet the current and future needs of this growing community. This $19 million project received a grant for more than $6.8 million from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners’ (MBLC) Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program. MBLC Chair Debby Conrad congratulated the community on coming together to support the project. “Your new library will be what a 21st century educational, cultural, civic and community hub can and should be. You can all be very proud of the planning and work done by so many, “she said.
The new addition will have a children’s room and teen space, a large meeting room that can be used after hours, and more flexible spaces for work, study, or collaboration. It will also have a Makerspace, a place in where people of all ages can use tools and technology to design, experiment, and invent and to engage in STEAM projects, arts and crafts. Local history will be celebrated with a room for special collections, genealogy and research, 21st century technology will be available, and the library will be ADA compliant. Town administrator Mallory Aronstein spoke to the important role libraries have in the ways we now work and live. “The new Swansea Free Library will be able to assist those who work remotely, help those developing a budding business, help with job interviews, or simply help make connections. In this way, the library will continue to positively impact our local economy,” she said.
The Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program (MPLCP) was first funded by a state bond authorization in 1987. Since then, it has helped more than 250 communities plan, build, renovate and/or expand their public libraries. The MPLCP is currently seeking a new $150 million bond authorization to support upcoming grant rounds. MPLCP projects are underway in the following communities: Amherst, Deerfield, Fitchburg, Gloucester, Melrose, Sharon, Shutesbury, and Westford. Learn more about the program on the MBLC website and the Building Literacy podcast.
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.