Director: Geraldine Helmer
Original building: 1911
Elementary school: 1950s
Renovation completed: January 2000
Architect: Kenneth Boroson, New Haven
General contractor: Butler Construction Co., Stafford Springs
Project cost: $650,000
Grants: $200,000, state; $100,000 federal
Volumes: 12,000
Population: 2050
Size: 6405 sq. ft.
by Diane Cox
January 2000 marked more than a new millennium for the town of Chaplin. The new year brought the opening of a much-needed, long-awaited new library for this small town in northeastern Connecticut. Many years in planning and over a year in construction culminated in the conversion of the former Chaplin Elementary School into a new senior center and library. Both have proven to be tremendous assets to the communal life of the town.
The new library was especially welcome. The town library was founded in 1901 and moved to its first home in 1911, a tiny building perched above Chaplin Street. William Ross, a prominent local man of the period, provided the money for the building, and the library was named for him.
Though the building had considerable architectural charm and fit well into the town's mostly Federal era historic district, it lacked almost all modern conveniences. It had no running water and, therefore, no bathroom. Because of zoning restrictions, it was not possible to provide a well and septic system on the library's small lot. Access was up a steep flight of stone steps, with no handicapped accessibility possible. Parking was on the street.
Inside, the one small room had long been inadequate to house the library's collection, much of which was in storage in the bat-infested attic. Because of these drawbacks, service hours had to be restricted.
With the new library, all that has changed. One member of the Board of Directors said, "This is like moving from a log cabin to a palace." Entering the new facility, the immediate sense is one of spaciousness, as a visitor looks along a vista from the entrance, through a canopy of four wood pillars marking off the area in front of the circulation desk, to the far end with its large Palladian window. The building, designed by the Kenneth Boroson architectural firm of New Haven, is 6405 square feet.
Among the library's many features is a special area for children, with large floor pillows for comfy browsing; a meeting room seating 50, which is often used by town organizations; an office and work space for the librarian, assistant librarian, and volunteers; a capacious storage area; special shelves for videos and journals; a large circulation desk located in the middle of the library for easy visual control of the space; and, the ultimate luxury, restrooms. There are two computers available for public use, with more to be provided at a later date.
The new facility, which has a large parking area shared with the senior center, has seen a great increase in the number of users, especially among families with young children and by older people. Both groups had difficulty gaining access to the old library. With more room in the children's area, it is possible to have more programs and events that can accommodate larger groups. The number of volunteers has also increased, as the Library is now a pleasant place to spend time.
The total cost of the library's part of the project was $650,000. Partial funding was provided by a $200,000 State Public Library Construction Grant and a $100,000 LSCA Title II Construction Grant. The town of Chaplin provided the remainder of the funds.
A number of townspeople worked hard over the years to make the new library and senior center a reality. Though there isn't room to name them all, it would be remiss not to mention William and Johanne Philbrick. The former was instrumental in organizing the senior center, and the latter was president of the library's Board of Directors for many years. Both were intimately involved in every step of the long process, which led to this fine new addition to the town of Chaplin.
You are invited to visit the new Chaplin Public Library at the Libratects meeting on Thursday, July 19. People involved with the project will be available to answer your questions. The library is located at 130 Chaplin St., just off Route 198. For more information, please call Mary Louise Jensen, CSL's library building consultant, at 1-800-253-7412.
Diane Cox is a free lance writer and a member of the Board of Directors of Chaplin Library.