Blandford’s Porter Memorial Library Director Nicole Daviau describes the expansion plans to residents at an informational meeting in September. A vote to accept a $5.4 million grant from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners for the project took place at a Special Town Meeting on Dec. 9.
Reminder Publishing file photo
BLANDFORD — The Porter Memorial Library in Blandford received word earlier this month that the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners has awarded a $5.4 million Small Population library construction grant to the town of Blandford.
The grant will go toward the renovation and expansion of the Porter Memorial Library, as part of the Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program. Small Population grants are awarded to municipalities with populations less than 2,500.
The library board and director also learned a few weeks ago that a bequest to the library from Sumner Robbins, who passed away in 2024 at the age of 99, totalled more than $900,000. Robbins, a lifelong resident, served the community in many different ways over his lifetime.
“His generosity to the library was limitless,” said Library Director Nicole Daviau. She said, amazingly, Robbins stipulated in his trust that the bequest must be used for the expansion of Porter Memorial Library — in other words, for the library to be made bigger.
“That was his foresight and truly his desire to make the library the best it could be for the community,” Daviau said. “It feels absolutely unreal; so serendipitous, incredibly overwhelming,” she said about the news of both the grant and the bequest.
The library first received a Small Libraries in Networks Grant of $125,000 in October 2024 from the MBLC after the town voted unanimously at a Special Town Meeting that spring to authorize a local match for the funds. The initial grant was for planning and architectural design for library expansion.
After receiving the planning grant, Daviau said the library formed a building committee chaired by Dave Hopson and charged with representing the community, to work together with the director, library trustees and an independent consultant to create the building plan.
At an informational meeting on Sept. 20, the building committee presented the plans for the library’s expansion to the town, making it four times its original size while maintaining its 1892 charm.
The project will transform the historic building into a 5,926-square-foot, fully accessible, modern library facility, renovating and expanding the current 1,250 square-foot one-room structure that has served the community for more than 133 years. The new design will allow the library to offer quiet study areas, youth-focused learning environments, adequate staff workspace, and expanded community programming not currently possible within the existing one-room layout.
The expanded and renovated facility will include children, teen and adult spaces; two study rooms; a restored historic reading room, a local history room, and a community room designed for after-hours access. Plans also include a café and gallery space to showcase exhibitions by local artists, as well as restoration of the library’s iconic front porch to reflect the building’s historic character. A single service desk layout will support efficient library operations while maintaining separation between age-based spaces.
Daviau said the town will receive 75% of the total project cost of $7,546,161 from the MBLC grant. The remainder of the project is a little over $2 million. She said minus the Robbins trust, the town’s share will be $1.166,622, 15% of the cost of the entire project. “The only thing the town is paying for is 15%,” she repeated.
Daviau said, unfortunately, the vote at the town meeting has to be for the entire cost of the project due to legal requirements, but she said the contract from the MBLC is in hand.
“Once the town votes to accept the entire amount, that vote will also accept the grant,” she said.
“The library has been a place where people in the community have been generous for over 130 years,” Daviau said, beginning with the gift from Josephine Porter in memory of her son that allowed the library to be built in 1892. She said now that the MBLC has stepped in, and with the gift from Sumner Robbins, that tradition has come full circle.
“The generosity that the town has shown to the library is moving. We carry that spirit of generosity in the library as well.” Daviau said, adding that the sign at the door says the Blandford Free Library. She said there are no fines, and they make sure that the residents of Blandford have everything they need for free.
“Now the community has given back to the library that spirit of generosity as well through Sumner Robbins,” Daviau said.
Once the vote is taken, the anticipated timetable for construction will be to start with a groundbreaking in June of 2026, at which time the library will be moving into a yet-to-be-determined home in Town Hall and will continue to provide services to residents throughout the expansion project. Daviau said the hope is to be moving back into the completed library in November of 2027.
Daviau said she has a long list of people to thank for getting the project ready for a final vote with the town. She included the many residents who participated in and contributed to the building committee. She said Hopson, as chair, was instrumental to the process. “We never could have done this without his insight and knowledge.”
Daviau also thanked the design team, including the architect Drummey Rosane Anderson Inc. and the owner’s project manager, Skanska.
“This entire process has been a true community project, and that is the key to its success,” she said, also crediting the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners for their help through the grant process.
“The guidance from Andrea Bono-Bunker and all of the MBLC staff has been instrumental in navigating the process, ensuring that our building will serve our community for generations. Without this generous grant from the MBLC, our small town would never have had the opportunity to expand not only the library building, but also the library’s ability to provide our patrons the services that are essential, especially in our rural area,” Daviau said.
The Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program has benefitted more than 250 towns and cities since its inception in 1987. Funding to support the MPLCP was included in the Mass Leads Act. MPLCP projects are underway in the following communities: Amherst, Deerfield, Fitchburg, Shutesbury and Westford. Swansea Free Public Library recently celebrated its new library with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, and 14 more communities are in the planning and design phase as part of the 2023-2024 grant round. Learn more about the program on the MBLC website, the Building Literacy podcast and the MPLCP Municipal Impact website.
