The Library has been examining and rethinking the use of our existing space since 2020. We identified two issues that need to be addressed, one is the shortage of shelf space in the Children's Room, and the second is the need for small meeting spaces. This year, with the generous support of the Sargent Memorial Library Foundation, the Friends of the Boxborough Library, and the Town, we are finally able to start solving them. 
New book shelf in the Children's area.

To add more robust shelving solutions into the Children's area, we swapped out the PC desk/special display shelf with a new set of bookshelves on casters! The new shelf will allow us to comfortably grow the graphic novel and read-along collections for years to come. (Do not feel sorry for the old PC desk/special display shelf. It has found a new home at Granville Public Library!)

 
The community has long needed private meeting/studying spaces that are hard to find in town. We heard this from people asking about it, in the strategic planning focus group discussions, and in the public forum held in June 2023. We have been trying to find a way to create these spaces for our visitors. After years of planning, we have come up with a design. The Library will be installing three "pods" that will provide private spaces for small groups to have discussions, or a person to have a remote meeting without being disruptive to others. In order to fit the pods into the building's existing floor plan, some rearrangement is required. We will be shifting the collections around, moving the audiovisual collections to the back half of the building, and the Young Adult area out to the main hall. The current Young Adult Room will become a study and reading area, while also housing the large print and test preparation materials. 
Library new layout. The blue area is the new Young Adult (YA) area, and the light pink area that is the current YA room will become the pods/reading room. 
 
Sample chair for the new YA area.
Sample lounge chair for the YA area.
A sample image of a 4-person meeting pod.
With the help of Boxborough's Department of Public Work, the Library plans to do as much of the process inhouse as possible, and reuse as many of our current pieces of furniture as we can.  
 
If you would like to know more about the project and the upcoming changes, we would be happy to walk you through it at the Library.