Building Literacy: Public Library Construction

In this seventh and last episode of the transformational impact series, we ask our panel of dedicated library administrators from across the Commonwealth, who represent urban, suburban, and rural libraries, to share any final thoughts about their experiences, leading to a short discussion about the elevation of the perception of the library and the cycle many libraries find themselves in prior to...

This sixth installment of seven bite-sized episodes on the transformational impact of new libraries focuses on the community’s response to the new building. While we may think it is about voicing awe at the architectural details and the aesthetic beauty, the loudest response is in the use. Our panel of dedicated library administrators from across the Commonwealth, who represent urban, suburban, an...

The fifth of seven bite-sized episodes that capture the transformational impact of six new libraries, this episode focuses on sustainability and resilience measures. Hear library administrators from across the Commonwealth, who represent urban, suburban, and rural libraries discuss thermal comfort, healthy air, better energy bills or lack thereof, and the library serving as a teaching tool within...

The fourth in a series on transformational impact, this episode focuses on how flexibility of spaces has allowed the six new libraries to adapt to changing needs or circumstances. Hear library administrators from urban, suburban, and rural libraries discuss how they can reconfigure their library, utilize spaces in various ways, and be able to say yes to services and programming. 

In this third episode in the seven-part series on the transformational impact of six new libraries throughout the Commonwealth, our panel of library administrators shares how the new facility has changed their communities, attitudes about the library, and the services they offer. 

In the second episode in the Transformational Impact series, the directors and assistant directors of six new libraries across the Commonwealth share stories of community members discovering or rediscovering their new library. Learn what has brought them into the library and how this has impacted visitor, circulation, and room reservation statistics.

From our daily work, we know that newly renovated, expanded, and constructed libraries are transformational for individuals, families,  community groups and the staff that serve them. It is time to celebrate the results of so many people working long hours, overcoming adversity, and investing millions of dollars all for a public good. Welcome to the first in a seven-part series of bite-sized episo...

We are joined by Lisa Oldham, the President and CEO of New Canaan Library, and Miki Porta, the Environmental Social Governance (ESG) Coordinator for the New Canaan Library for this second episode of a two-part series focusing on their new library, which opened in February 2023. We discuss the impact of their decisions for both the building and the library’s service model as it relates to the commu...

In this first episode of a two-part series, Lisa Oldham, the President and CEO of New Canaan Library, and Miki Porta, the Environmental Social Governance (ESG) Coordinator for the New Canaan Library, discuss the design and construction process for their new library, which opened in February 2023. From fundraising 75% of the total project cost to participating as a pilot with Grace Farms’ Design fo...

On this very Massachusetts-focused episode, learn more about the Supplier Diversity Office's (SDO) Municipal Construction Affirmative Marketing Program (MCAMP) from our guest, Meghan Costa. Any State-assisted vertical construction project above $150,000 must comply with project-specific goals for participation of women-owned business enterprises (WBEs) and minority-owned business enterprises...

This episode focuses on a very special role: part therapist, part mediator, part wrangler of budget and schedule. It is none other than the role of the Owners' Project Manager. This is a required role on any public project in Massachusetts that is worth over $1.5 million. We were lucky enough to sit down on zoom with John Sayre-Scibona of Design Technique, before he starts a new chapter as a...

Essentially a letter to the architect, the Library Building Program is a document that is the basis of design for any library building project at any scale. It provides context, includes community input, and details the areas and adjacencies that need to be incorporated in any design work, all with a focus on function. Learn the components that comprise this document, and hear from not only the MB...

In our last episode we learned about the broad goals of the Commonwealth’s Climate Act and Executive Order 594’s implications for the State’s portfolio of buildings. In this episode, we dig a little deeper into what resources, incentives, and grants are available to the Commonwealth’s municipalities, and, in turn, libraries, to better position our local governments in meeting our ambitious energy...

In this episode, we discuss the Commonwealth’s new Act Creating a Next Generation Roadmap for Massachusetts Climate Policy and Executive Order 594 with Eric Friedman, the Director of the Leading by Example Program, which is a division of the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources. From a higher level perspective, we explore what this new legislation means for our municipal libraries and how...

On this episode of Building Literacy, we talk campaign finance law with the Office of Campaign and Political Finance's Communications and Education Director Jason Tait. In previous episodes of our advocacy stories series, we have mentioned both the Office of Campaign and Political Finance  (https://www.ocpf.us/) and the State Ethics Commission (https://www.mass.gov/orgs/state-ethics-commissio...

In this episode in our series entitled Advocacy Stories, we discuss messaging, communications plans, and marketing for libraries with the MBLC's Communications Team: Celeste Bruno and Matthew Perry. While we touch upon issues related to library building projects, the tips and tricks our in-house experts share are scalable to any subject pertaining to libraries. It is important to note that wh...

In this episode, we are taking a mini detour from the nuts and bolts of Advocacy to focus on the financial component of public library building projects. While many projects like these have a combination of funding sources- municipal funding, grants, private fundraising, etc., most of the conversation revolves around the impact on taxes. In order to understand the landscape of local taxes in Massa...

On this episode of Building Literacy: Public Library Construction, we delve into the ducts of HVAC systems. HVAC, as you may know, stands for heating, ventilation and air conditioning, and does include dehumidification as well. Reopening libraries during a pandemic has brought the topic of HVAC out from behind the walls and into the proverbial light. We have read the ASHRAE guidance materials and...

In this series of Advocacy Stories, we will examine the nuts and bolts of advocacy through the experiences of Directors, Trustees, and Consultants involved in the MBLC’s Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program. A basic rule of advocacy is to focus on your supporters and mobilize and energize them. However, this episode focuses on the experiences of librarians and trustees who faced signi...

In this episode, we convened a roundtable of architects from several of the firms who design buildings for libraries that partake in the Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program. Each firm tackled a topic related to designing libraries amidst a pandemic, including circulation patterns, furniture design, small vs. large rooms, exterior spaces, flexibility vs, separation, safety and securit...

When recording recent episodes with former library building specialist Patience Jackson, she called our attention to a speech from 1915 that exists in our files. The writer and speaker was Alice Chandler, who made advisory visits to libraries across the Commonwealth, critiquing everything from their buildings to their cataloging systems. In her speech, which our colleague Liz Babbitt reads in its...

On this episode of Building Literacy: Public Library Construction, we delve into the history of the Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program, which has been in existence since 1987. Founding Library Building Specialist, Patience Jackson, and former Library Building Specialist, Rosemary Waltos, join Lauren and me to discuss both the impetus and evolution of our unique and robust program.

On this episode of Building Literacy: Public Library Construction, two former Library Building Specialists with our program, Patience Jackson and Rosemary Waltos, offer their words of wisdom from a collective 50 years of experience working on library building projects through both the Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program and independent consulting services. From their top three, or tw...

Continuing our series on sustainability in public library construction, we interview Finegold Alexander Architects’ Ellen Anselone, Rebecca Berry, Josephine Penta, and Beth Pearcy in this episode. Learn how architects approach the integration of sustainable, energy reducing measures in public projects, even when project budgets may be limited or historic structures may be involved. We encourage an...

Whether undertaking a renovation, renovation/expansion, new construction, or capital upgrade project, library administration, trustees, and the municipalities they serve are increasingly approaching these projects with sustainability in mind, especially as more municipalities enter into compacts for energy reductions in public buildings by a targeted year. On this episode, we talk with Building Ev...