$5.4 Million Library Construction Grant Awarded to Blandford
December 04, 2025
June Thammasnong
Communications Specialist
1-800-952-7403 x208
june.thammasnong@mass.gov
At its December board meeting, the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) awarded a $5.4 million Small Population library construction grant to the Town of Blandford for the renovation and expansion of the Porter Memorial Library as part of the Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program (MPLCP). Small Population grants are awarded to municipalities with populations less than 2,500.
"The tiny Porter Memorial Library is the heart of Blandford, the living room of the town. Our community has enthusiastically come together over the meetings, conversations, and surveys to express their support and investment in the expansion project," said Porter Memorial Library director Nicole Daviau. "It will be nothing short of lifechanging for our residents to have the space for community meetings, children's programs, technology, quiet reading, and the only dedicated teen room in the Hilltowns."
The project will transform the historic 1892 building into a 5,926 square foot, fully accessible, modern library facility, renovating and expanding the current 1,250 square foot one-room structure that has served the community for more than 133 years. The new design will allow the library to offer quiet study areas, youth-focused learning environments, adequate staff workspace, and expanded community programming that is not currently possible within the existing one-room layout.
The expanded and renovated facility will include children's, teen, and adult spaces; two study rooms; a restored historic reading room: a local history room; and a community room designed for after-hours access. Plans also include a café and gallery space to showcase exhibitions by local artists, as well as restoration of the library's iconic front porch to reflect the building's historic character. A single service desk layout will support efficient library operations while maintaining separation between age-based spaces.
The MPLCP Small Population library construction grant totals 75% of estimated eligible costs for the library renovation and expansion project. After the community votes to appropriate local funding and accept the MPLCP grant award, the design will be further developed to prepare for construction. Groundbreaking is anticipated in 2026.
The Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program has benefitted more than 250 towns and cities since its inception in 1987. Funding to support the MPLCP was included in the Mass Leads Act. MPLCP projects are underway in the following communities: Amherst, Deerfield, Fitchburg, Shutesbury and Westford. Swansea Free Public Library recently celebrated their new library with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, and fourteen more communities are in the planning and design phase as part of the 2023-2024 grant round. Learn more about the program on the MBLC website, the Building Literacy podcast, and the MPLCP Municipal Impact 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.