Description

This historic restoration of a former one-room schoolhouse and bookstore into an expanded public library fits snugly into this quintessential New England town, and had to be inventive from the start. We were able to safely remove original slate chalk boards and reuse them for the circulation desk. Original closet doors were salvaged and repurposed for doors throughout the library.

Similarly, historic lighting was re-wired and combined with new to form a transitional design that provides space for all ages in the expanded facility. Consequently, the interior spaces are light, air-filled and bright. The use of natural ventilation helps protect the ozone layer by not adding CFCs via air conditioning.

Our addition to the tiny existing building is as historically sensitive as it could be. New loading requirements forced a gut renovation of the existing structure to insert steel and engineered lumber as required. Funding resulted from a combination of the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, US Rural Development, and local municipal sources.