Connecticut's Library Heritage
Salem Free Public Library has changed more than its address. In December 2004, we moved from our old library to a brand new one. The historic building that had served as Salem's library since 1928 was small and overcrowded - a definite understatement. The building's 875 square feet, plus basement, was full literally to the rafters. Books were shelved so high up that it was a stretch even for tall people standing on a footstool to reach them, and so low that we spent way too much time on our knees searching for things.
Most of the windows in the building were hidden behind shelves, as we desperately tried to make more space where there wasn't any more space. Hundreds of books and several hundred videos were shelved in the basement. The basement was reached by stairs which, to paraphrase a comment by a member of the building committee, would definitely get you down to the basement, but were not guaranteed to get you back upstairs. The basement also housed the staff amenities - a primitive bathroom, microwave, and mini-refrigerator.
The staff had nightmares about everything being returned at once, because our situation required that a certain amount of the 24,000 items in the collection be on loan at any given time. No, that is not a misprint. Over the years, the collection at Salem Free Public Library had grown to include that many items, including not only books and magazines, but almost 2000 videos, nearly 900 DVDs, more than 250 music CDs, and over 800 audio books for all ages.
The parking lot could hold only a dozen or so cars comfortably, but that wasn't a problem, because even a dozen cars' worth of people wouldn't fit inside the library, anyway. There wasn't any room for story time, or crafts, or meetings. Any programs had to be held in the town hall. All circulation, cataloging, interlibrary loan, and even some of the physical processing activities were performed at a single desk using the one staff computer.
Several patrons each day came to use our dial-up Internet on one of three public computers, or to type up a paper or letter they could print - if the public printer was working; toward the end, it wasn't. Despite our severe space limitations, we did a brisk business. Total circulation for FY2004 was slightly more than 44,000 items, a 73% increase since FY2000.
Fortunately, there was a light at the end of the tunnel. Thanks to the tireless efforts of the library board, the Friends of the Salem Library, the building committee, and the staff, with help from the State Library and Lt. Governor (now Governor) Jodi Rell, a new library was planned. A State Library construction grant was approved and bonded, and the citizens of Salem voted overwhelmingly to fund the $1.6 million library building. It was designed by Noyes-Vogt Architects of Guilford, and G. Donovan and Associates of Lebanon was selected as general contractor. Construction began in October of 2003 and was substantially completed by November of 2004. We moved in during the first two weeks of December, held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on December 11, and opened for business on December 13.
The new library is located just up the road from the old one, next to the town hall. Its approximately 7000 square feet is enough to accommodate the collection, even if it all comes back at once. There is a children's room and a young adult room, each of which is almost as large as the old library. We have a meeting room with kitchenette, a children's program room, and a small meeting/tutoring room. There are public restrooms and a coat closet. There are chairs for patrons to sit in and relax and read and study.
A high ceiling in the main part of the building adds to the feeling of spaciousness and provides natural light through clerestory windows. People entering for the first time invariably comment on the change, and they are astonished when we tell them that, yes, we have bought a few new things since we moved, but almost all of the books and other materials in the new library were in the old one.
We have a steady flow of people using our twelve public computers, which offer word processing, DVD drives, and cable Internet access. Wireless Internet access is available to patrons who bring their laptop computers. Middle school students come in after school to hang out, check out books and movies, and even study. Residents who haven't set foot in the library in years - if ever - are coming in to renew their cards or get new ones.
The staff area includes an office, kitchenette, and processing room, as well as a staff restroom. We no longer have to do all of our work on a single staff computer; we have more staff computers than we have staff on duty. This is luxury, indeed, to a staff used to functioning in a few square feet and taking turns using the computer.
Yes, the Salem Free Public Library has changed. Now that we have made the giant stride forward into a beautiful new building, we are faced with another great challenge. We hope to provide the best service we can to our patrons in the new, larger space, while still preserving the small-town library feeling the people of Salem have always valued.
Reported by: Margaret Leary, Library Director