The Edith Wheeler Memorial Library, Monroe.
Connecticut's Library Heritage
The Monroe Public Library, renamed the Edith Wheeler Memorial Library on March 4, 2007, was established at town meeting in November 1954. Its first home, a 1,000 sq. ft. brick building located on the town green, was erected by residents who also donated the building materials. The library’s first day of business was March 16, 1958. This original library was much loved but soon outgrown. On May 1, 1972, the library reopened in its second home—8,456 sq. ft. in the south wing of a new municipal building built to house the town hall, police department, and library.
After just ten years, the town’s population had increased dramatically and the library had outgrown its quarters. A construction grant to expand the library was obtained from the State Library in the mid-1980s, but it was forfeited when townspeople voted down local funding. Another attempt to enlarge the facility in the mid-1990s also was defeated by the voters. The library was “in a bind”.
Enter Edith Wheeler, retired schoolteacher, member of the Friends, and volunteer in the children’s room. Miss Wheeler loved her library and, when she died in April 1993, she bequeathed $1 million to it. According to her will, the gift was to be invested and, at any time in the future, one-half of its value could be tapped for construction of a new building. (The other half remains invested to this day and funds special purchases.)
In 2001, with the Wheeler bequest now totaling $1.5 million, the Library Board of Trustees asked the Town Council for permission to apply for another construction grant from the State Library. Town officials agreed that if this grant were secured and the trustees were to have $1.25 million to start, they would call a town meeting to propose construction of a new, freestanding library. The hoped-for $500,000 construction grant was received in November 2002 and, in September 2003, a town meeting authorized construction of a new $5.2 million library, to be named in honor of Edith Wheeler. The vote: 204 yes, 7 no.The town already owned an appropriate building site, a 2.5-acre parcel next to the town hall. Bruce Tuthill of Tuthill and Wells Architects developed building plans. Unfortunately, the project was approved at a time when the cost of building materials was skyrocketing; the lowest construction bid came in $1 million too high. Modifications were made to the plan. Chief among these was to erect a two-level building instead of the original one-story. Because the property slanted gently downward from the street, the children’s department, meeting room, and some other services were relocated to a lower level that received natural light on the south and west sides, making for a pleasant environment.
The building, designed in the colonial style and built of brick so as to harmonize with town hall, was scaled down slightly on its main level but continued to appear as a single story structure from the front. These changes, however, failed to bring the project within budget. Therefore, the Town Council scheduled a second town meeting at which library trustees requested an additional $1 million; their request was approved by a vote of 133 to 15 on September 27, 2004. In quick succession, a building committee was organized, a construction contract was awarded, and ground was broken on November 15, 2004.
The Town Council challenged the Friends to raise $100,000 to subsidize upgrades and improvements to the plan. The Friends staged a variety of fundraising events and projects and, in the end, raised $300,000, including a $100,000 gift from the Sippin family and a $50,000 gift from the Edgerton family.
Construction took two years, due in part to a harsh first winter that caused work to stop for several months. Also, as Friends donations came in, design features of the library that had been deleted for financial reasons were reinstated, such as arches over all main level windows and a dramatic curved ceiling in the adult reference area.The new library was declared complete on January 1, 2007 and the old library closed on January 28. American Interfile and Library Services of Bayshore, NY transferred the collection to the new facility in ten days and with incredible precision and accuracy. The library remained closed to the public for five weeks, during which furniture was received, computers and printers and copy machines and telephones were installed, signage was affixed, window treatments were hung, and the staff was trained on all new equipment and systems.
On March 4, the library was officially dedicated in impressive ceremonies attended by over 500 people. The library opened for business on Monday, March 5, offering:
Everyone loves the new library! Patrons constantly exclaim over its beauty and call it “the jewel of Monroe.” Visits, circulation, registrations, and program attendance all have increased. It is handsome outside, beautiful inside, and completely functional. Coming from an 8,500 sq. ft. facility with just five public computers, no meeting space, and no parking, the library trustees and staff feel that we have “died and gone to heaven.” A striking mural of Monroe buildings and scenes is now being painted on the walls of the lower level corridor, generating much interest among townspeople. The story of the new Edith Wheeler Memorial Library is a happy one. Come see us!
Reported by: Robert Simon, Edith Wheeler Memorial Library Director
Posted: 06.01.2007