Masks continue to be appreciated in Library Spaces serving young unvaccinated users. Curb-side delivery and Homebound delivery continue to be available to vulnerable users.

Library Building Project

  • About
  • Library Building Project

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:

LFNC CALENDAR 8.18.16.pdf


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

J. V. FLETCHER LIBRARY EXPANSION CALENDAR:

 SPACE TIMELINE 10.7.22

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