MARBLEHEAD — The Abbot Public library is celebrating its 145th anniversary in a big way.
The library, located on 235 Pleasant St., is set to begin a huge renovation project this December which is scheduled to be completed by spring of 2024. The building was last renovated in 1989, and is in need of immense infrastructure upgrades to keep the library safe and accessible.
The library’s website states that “Short term fixes are no longer adequate to sustain our facility.”
Some of the initial goals of the project include replacing the building’s escalator and HVAC and fire alarm systems, as well as repairing the ADA-access and the surface storm-runoff. The project was awarded a $9.5 million total budget and the Public Library Building Renovation Committee is currently assessing budget estimates. According to the library’s website, initial estimates are coming in over budget as the cost rates of materials required for the project are climbing.
While the library will be undergoing many physical restorations, it will be going through an entire rebranding process as well. The library will begin designing a new logo and color scheme for its website, marketing materials, and building interior that will have a modern appeal but will also be able to captivate the town’s historical look.
“It’s really become a passion project of mine,” said Library Director Kimberly Grad, who is in her first year as director.
While construction is not slated to begin until December, the library will be temporarily moving to Eveleth School, which is located at 3 Brook Road. Grad says the library is not ready to announce their official move date at this time, however, all public programs from now through September have been halted and will resume once the library has completed its move in. Eveleth is now no longer in use as a public school, which makes it a perfect interim spot for Abbot Public Library. The school’s gymnasium and classrooms will be turned into spaces for checking out and returning books, quiet reading areas, and one room reserved for public programs.
Only 40 percent of the library’s reading materials will be physically accessible at the Eveleth School, with the other 60 percent going into storage. However, Grad says that readers will be able to access those materials online through their partnership with the North of Boston Library Exchange (NOBLE), which will give readers access to thousands of online periodicals and journals.
In 2018, research was done on the building to see what needed to be replaced and/or repaired and more serious talks of a renovation project took place at the library’s 140th anniversary celebration. Unfortunately, the project was halted in 2020 due to the pandemic, but in June of 2021, the override for the project passed and the Board of Trustees approved the strategic plan on Jan. 3 of this year.
The library was founded in March of 1877, making it a huge part of Marblehead’s history and sets the precedent for the importance of getting the project done. “Abbot Public Library serves as an oasis for the Marblehead Community,” said Grad. “We will be equipped to grow with the community offering a high standard of service in the years ahead.”
For more information and updates, visit abbotlibrary.org.
Ryan Vermette can be reached at [email protected].
