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Holyoke Library makes plans for next century

Date: 11/18/2008

By G. Michael Dobbs

Managing Editor



HOLYOKE For over a century, the Holyoke Public Library on Maple Street has served generations of residents of the Paper City. Now the library is the subject of a plan to update the facility for the first time since it was built in 1902.

The plan was presented at the 138th annual meeting of the Holyoke Public Library Corporation on Oct. 21.

Ellen Moriarty, president of the Library Corporation, explained to Reminder Publications the plans are the second effort to renovate the library. The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) rejected the first plans on technical grounds, she explained, and were more expensive than the current proposal.

She said the reaction from the corporation members and the Friends of the Library have been positive.

"Obviously with the economy, people have concerns," she said.

The renovation and expansion plans have an estimated price tag of $17 million, she said. The MBLC has made a $4.3 million grant commitment to the project and the rest of the funding would come a donation from the library's endowment, a capital campaign and, if approved, a bond from the city. She also anticipated applying for a number of grants.

The library has until December 2009 to line up the funding, she added.

The plans call for the construction of a two-story new wing behind the current library, adding 24,000 square feet of space. The goal, Moriarty explained, is to produce as "green" a building as possible within the budget. She mentioned the roof of the new wing would be state of the art and the building's heating system would be a geo-thermal unit.

The children's area as well as the computer services offered by the library would be greatly expanded, she explained. The library's history room would return to the facility from its temporary home at Holyoke Community College.

The new wing would have an entrance and a new parking area would be created.

The new wing will be designed to match the original Greek Revival building, she said.

And the original building will not be ignored in the process. She said that many renovations are planned. That part of the building will also have energy conservation features as the skylights will be re-installed with modern glass.

As Moriarty walked around the library, it was evident how vital the building is to the city's residents. On a Friday morning, young students from a nearby school program were using the children's room. There was an English for adults classes going on at the same time as well as another children's program.

Moriarty expressed hope that once the new library addition is completed it will attract additional development in Holyoke.