Dear Community Members,

 

Amazingly, the time has come to begin transitioning staff and services back to West Branch! West is still a very active worksite, but we’re inching ever closer to a phase in the project when library staff will be able to gain access to help set up the collection and familiarize themselves with all of the new building systems.During my last visit to West, I noticed plenty of cleaning happening, including a careful hand washing of the wooden staircases in the historic building that left the stairs shining. The relocated children’s space, now on the second floor is nearly furnished (the small historic windows have been restored and are now cushioned quiet nooks for little ones to curl up in), and decorated with beautiful stenciling that was designed by the current architects, honoring the original restored stenciling on the main floor but adding a contemporary and playful flair. Speaking of the original stenciling on the main floor, we owe a debt of gratitude to the Somerville Historic Preservation Commission who, through a stabilization project, unearthed the stenciling in 2004, and provided the details needed to restore the original patterns. And the bottom level, where our children’s space used to be, has been completely transformed into a comfortable reading area for adults, a community room that provides versatility for a variety of programs and events, and a conference space that can be divided if needed with both sides equipped with audiovisual equipment.

 

To prepare for transitioning back to West, our temporary space at TAB will close on Friday, February 26. If you are currently choosing the TAB location to pick-up and return your library materials, please consider shifting your holds to our Central or East locations which both have book drops, or finding another MLN library that is convenient for you to get to.

 

I’ve included a few recent photos of West I’ve taken over the past several weeks, that I hope provide a sense of what we have to look forward to! Thank you for all of your support and patience. We are *almost* there!

 

Best,

Cathy Piantigni,