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“That’s what we had in mind,” he said. “It’s a place for people to gather as a community. It was hard to do that in the old building.”
The construction has involved extensive renovations to the original library structure, which was erected in 1904. It will hold new quiet, reading rooms at the main level. The circulation desk in the main level entrance area has been removed to make way for an art gallery.
Also, the two-level addition that was constructed in 1958 has been replaced by a larger three-level addition that holds meeting rooms. The four-level stack wing connecting the two structures was also replaced.
The new space includes a conference room in the lower level that can hold up to 100 people. McNulty said the room may be used for community meetings for garden clubs, book clubs, scouts and other groups.
There is also a smaller conference room that can seat 15 people and will be used by the Library Trustees and some other groups. There is a space dedicated to the Friends of the Library, who will hold book sales there.
The space for the children’s room at the main level has been doubled and there is a new room for story hours.
The upper level features the reference desk and computer stations and there is a balcony looking over the first floor.
McNulty said adequate space has long been an issue at the main library, and the expansion project will address that.
The sitting area increases from 67 to 140 spaces. There will be more public computers and increased volume of reading material. There will also be 15 more parking spaces, added to the 40 that exist.
The building’s air, heating and electrical units have been replaced with state-of-the-art equipment. In the past, the air-conditioner was only cooling half of the building.
There were renovations done to the building’s exterior, which was cracking in some sections. New bricks and windows were installed.
The library expansion project started in 2002 with the formation of a study group to examine the needs of the building. The group reported to Town Meeting in 2004 with schematic plans.
Special Town Meeting in October of 2005 approved a $13.4 million budget for the project contingent on an override, which was passed in November of that year. The town received a $3.68 million state grant for the project.
Schwartz-Silver Architects, a firm out of Boston, designed the addition. The group has headed notable projects including expansions to the New England Aquarium in 1998 and to the Hyde Park Branch Library in 2006.
The contractor is G&R Construction of Quincy, which expanded Needham’s library in 2006.
The Kidder Branch on Blue Hills Parkway will remain open, and East Milton branch will have extended business hours, until the main branch re-opens to the public.