Upcoming Year Vital To Sherborn Library's Expansion Plans

The Sherborn Library's plans for expansion will face a major hurdle this coming year with their application for a state grant to help fund their $5.4 million project.

The Massachusetts Public Library Construction Grant could provide up to half of the funding for the library's renovation plans. Which library director Elizabeth Johnston says is long overdue.

"On a day-to-day basis, it's obvious to the community when they assume that they're going to be able to get into an elevator with a baby carriage, or when they're on a cane, or if they're in a wheelchair, and they come in and they find this building doesn't support their being able to get upstairs or downstairs. Everyday that's an issue that does arise. So we want to correct that," said Johnston.

The library was dedicated to the town in 1971. Since then there have been no changes to the building, aside from routine maintenance, Johnston said.

On top of being up to date with the Americans with Disabilities Act standards, the library is hoping to add another 7900-square-feet of space.

"So we are really updating the infrastructure of the building with this grant. Bringing it all up to code, expanding the children's room so that the children's room will have adequate space for the services and technology, and bringing it up to date with the American's with Disabilities Act so that there can be handicapped access in the building," she said.

They also want to update the library's technological network as part of the plan.

The grant application will be sent out by Jan. 27 and it we be determined whether the library will be awarded the grant in July. 

"There are a number of libraries in the area that are going out for it. It's going to be a competitive grant," said Johnston.

"Whether or not we get the state grant we have to do something to update the building and we can't wait much longer. The handicapped accessibility piece of it is overdue," said Johnston, who has been the library director for twenty-two years.

If they do the receive the $3 million in funding from the state, they are hopeful to get another $1.5 million from the town and $1 million from private fundraising in order to complete the expansion, she said.

If all goes according to plan, they should break ground by 2013.

 As of right now, the plans are in a preliminary design stage and will go before the community at the next town meeting, in April, for approval of the design plans.

"So we have between now and April to really educate the community on the designs and the costs and why we made the decisions that we did with the renovations," said Johnston.

Ken Adams, a resident of Sherborn, says the library suits his needs but understands that there are improvements that can be made.

"Off and on we've been here thirty years, I would think it's probably close to that. Bringing either myself, or the grandchildren, and my children years ago," he said. "I think it's fine but I understand there are issues with people with disabilities to get into the facility and they probably need to get it up to code. I think with the size of the town it's probably adequate, but I understand that some of the younger groups like girl scouts and boy scouts, it may be somewhat limiting for them."

On Jan. 30 the library will be celebrating its 40th anniversary. There they will be unavailing the designs for the project and attendees of the celebration can ask questions about the plans.