MEDFORD — A $12.3 million state grant is on the books to help cover the costs of constructing a $34 million library.
Medford Public Library Director Barbara Kerr said the town has been in the preliminary planning stages of replacing the 58-year-old building for a year. To secure the cash grant, the town will need to come up with funding for the 45,000-square-foot project through bonds and fundraising by next January.
“It’s going to be nice,” said Kerr. “Medford really doesn’t have a community center. This has the potential to be a real community hub or gathering place.”
The money from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) is part of the MBLC’s Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program (MPLCP) to assist libraries with meeting the demand for library services with expanded and improved library facilities.
Attendance at public library programs has increased 49 percent since 2006, and every 5.5 seconds, a Massachusetts resident accesses the Internet through a public library, according to a MBLC. The grants are part of the state’s commitment to ensuring that all the residents of the Commonwealth have equal access to information, technology, resources and programming.
“We’re sometimes asked whether libraries are still necessary in this digital age,” said MBLC Chair Mary Ann Cluggish. “The answer is an overwhelming ‘yes.’ Libraries are busier than ever, assisting residents with job searches or business start-ups, teaching residents to use new technology or simply providing the only free space where everyone in the community can continue their education. This important work would not be possible without the support of Governor Baker and the Legislature.”
The High Street library was constructed in 1959 and opened a year later. Since the 1990s, there have been several updates to the lighting, HVAC, roof, Children’s Department, meeting room, and bathrooms.
A survey in 2015 found resident want more comfortable seating for reading and nooks. Because of the facility’s age and growth in technology, there is a need for an electrical upgrade and additional outlets. The second floor, which includes meeting space, is not handicapped accessible and not used by the public, said Kerr.
“We have an open floor plan, so there are few interior walls,” she said. “All activities are on the first floor. We face a lot of noise issues and there is not a lot of space. This was built to house books and not to house community. It will still have books, but it will also have community space.”
Architect Angela Hyatt, with Boston-based Schwartz Silver, is designing a space at the site that includes an area for youth on the second floor and 14 rooms for patrons, including small meeting rooms and a large auditorium.
“The need for public meeting spaces was the biggest thing (people wanted to see),” said Kerr. “The building is going to be brick because Medford was a brick-producing city in the 19th and 20th centuries. There will be a lot of light, and it will be built with a lot of energy efficient features in mind.”
Plans also include a makerspace, media lab, and green space outside the library.
“The city is thrilled to receive a substantial grant award that will assist in building a new library for the community to explore, learn and grow,” said Mayor Stephanie M. Burke in a statement.
Construction is expected to commence by June 2019, Kerr said.
