Planning for a 21st Century Library:
The J. V. Fletcher Library is now thirty-four years out from its most recent renovation /expansion. That expansion and the multi-year Library Beautification Project have served the Town of Westford well. The Board of Library Trustees and Library Administration have the responsibility to continue planning, and to open a discussion on a new Library chapter — a 21st Century Library. This planning initiative began in 2012.
For the first time in 2014, municipalities with populations over 10,000 were eligible to apply for a Planning and Design grant from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. Working from 2012 through December 2013, the Library Trustees and Director produced the following grant application for a Feasibility Study, with a $50,000 grant awarded in June 2014, funds which were matched by the Town.
PLANNING AND DESIGN GRANT 2014 APPLICATION:
[WESTFORD planning & design application 1.3.pdf]
PLANNING AND DESIGN GRANT CALENDAR:
The Library Building Program was approved by the Board of Library Trustees and submitted to the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners for review and approval in a FINAL format, for inclusion in the competitive MASSACHUSETTS PUBLIC LIBRARY CONSTRUCTION GRANT round, due January 26, 2017.
LIBRARY BUILDING PROGRAM SQ. FT. BREAKDOWN:
Fletcher Library program – Final.pdf
MASSACHUSETTS PUBLIC LIBRARY CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM GRANT SUBMITTAL
MPLCP Westford Application FINAL.pdf
2022 LIBRARY BUILDING PROJECT POWERPOINT
Westford Receives Provisional Grant Notification in July 2022 of $7,851,994!
The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) voted to place the J. V. Fletcher Library on a waitlist for a Provisional Construction Grant. The grant is part of the state-funded MASSACHUSETTS PUBLIC LIBRARY CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM (MPLCP) which helps libraries across the state meet the growing demand for library services with expanded and improved library facilities. Thirty-three libraries completed the grant round process in 2017 and through a rigorous review, 9 libraries were identified to receive grants and 24 were placed on a waitlist. Westford was notified on July 7, 2022 by the Board of Library Commissioners of a provisional grant award of $7.85 million of matching funding. This notice must be followed by two community votes to approve funds for the library renovation/expansion to proceed in the 2023-2025 time frame. Town residents must vote on funding at both the October 17 Special Town Meeting and at the November 8 ballot. The Westford Library has a strong history of gifts, donations, benefactors and grants going back to its inception:
- 1797 – Social Library founded by 25 citizens
- 1859 – Social Library donated to the Town
- 1873 – Agricultural Library donated to the Town
- 1895 – Jonathan Varnum Fletcher donated 75% of the funds to build a new library on the Common
- 1963 – Basement Children’s Room funded by J. V. Fletcher’s great grand-daughter Marian F. Winnek
- 1969 – Renovation/addition funded by federal LSCA Title II grant
- 1979 – Bookmobile funded by federal LSCA Title I grant
- 1988 – Renovation/addition awarded Massachusetts Public Library Construction Project (MPLCP) grant award
- 2007-2012 – Library Beautification funded by the Friends of the J. V. Fletcher Library, Inc.
- 2017 – Westford wait listed for MPLCP grant award of almost $8 million
- 2022 July – Provisional Grant notification from MBLC
- 2022 October/November – Project to be voted upon at Special Town Meeting and Ballot
The proposed design devotes almost all new space to the public and to the residents who use it most — creating space to put “the public in the public library!” This design:
- More than doubles the space for Children
- Triples the space for young adults and emerging adults
- Doubles public meeting spaces
- Centralizes Circulation functions
- Increases silent and collaborative study options
- Offers improved technology
- Offers improved traffic flow & increased parking
- Offers flexible spaces to accommodate future trends and uses
- Is fully handicapped-accessible and meets current fire, safety and building codes
For the Community, this design offers:
- Pre-K Child Literacy and Language Development Programs
- Formal Education Support
- School Library Collaboration (PS/PL Collaborative)
- Home-schooling, Tutoring and Independent Schooling Support
- Free Life-long Learning Opportunities
- $13.60 Return on each public library dollar invested
- Job Seeking and Small Business Support
- ESL and Literacy Support
- Meeting space, Conference space and work space
- Boost in property values