THE NEWBURY PUBLIC LIBRARY

by Alan Brown, Librarian

The Newbury Public Library reopened in its new building on May 29, 1999. Sporting a lofty new tower and new landscaping, the new library is an extension of the old, on the same lot next to the town office building and the historic Center Meeting House. Borrowing features from those nearby structures, the new library, with its stately columns and white clapboards, brings architectural unity to this row of town-owned buildings. A new split rail fence extends their length, tying them all together.

Quadrupling the floor space of the old building, the library is divided into separate rooms, each with its unique purpose. At center is the lobby and the sizable circulation desk, from which the librarian can oversee the entire facility. In the lobby are computer terminals, current materials, audiobooks, and videos. French doors open onto a lovely patio and bird sanctuary dedicated to the memory or former librarian George Beal. A workroom next to the circulation desk has ample countertops and cupboards, and is wired to accommodate the network server and a dedicated cataloging terminal. The tower room houses reference materials and special collections. Serials and classified books are shelved in a comfortable reading room. The young adult room doubles as a meeting room. In another room are stacks for fiction and study carrels. The old building, still recognizable on the outside, is now completely transformed on the inside into a cheerful children's room including strawberry iMacs. Fully automated and accessible to the disabled, the new building preserves the coziness of the old library while adding space intended to meet the library's needs for the next 20 years.

The building project was launched in late 1996, when the library trustees, concerned about the overflowing shelves and burgeoning patronage, resolved to go forward with a renovation plan. Trustee Beverly Wolf took charge of the project, overseeing virtually every detail from start to finish. At town meeting in 1997, the town appropriated $5,000 for a preliminary plan. Shortly thereafter, the trustees selected Newbury resident and library patron Patricia Sherman of Sherman Greiner Halle Ltd. as the architect. The trustees approved her building and landscape plan, which was to cost about $425,000. By town meeting in 1998, a capital campaign had raised $135,000. The town then voted overwhelmingly to appropriate the rest. A subsequent anonymous gift of $53,000 allowed the trustees to enhance the building's appointments, furnishings, and technology. Construction began in October 1998, while the library operated out of a wing of the town office building. Bruss Construction, Inc., of

Bradford completed the project on schedule and on budget.

In its first six months of operation, Newbury Public Library's attendance and circulation have more than doubled from the same period last year. It's little wonder; the new library is a remarkable place.