Library enjoys successful move to Lyman Street
By Ken Powers Contributing Writer

Northborough - It's a new location, but the same old library.

With the impending renovation and expansion project at its permanent home at 34 Main St., the Northborough Free Library is in its second week at a temporary location at 71 Lyman St., in the Accusoft Building.

Library Director Jean Langley said she expects the library to be in its temporary quarters for about 18 months.

The Lyman Street site is about 50 percent the size of the library's Main Street building.

"As a result we could only take about half of our adult collection," Langley said. "But we were able to take our entire children, young adult and reference collections."

Langley said the portion of the adult collection the didn't fit - which included some fiction, non-fiction, mystery and large-print books - has been sent to storage at Algonquin Regional High School.

The temporary location is about 2-1/2 miles from the Main Street building.

"We're at the corner of Talbot Road and Lyman Street," Langley said. "There are signs up welcoming people to the Northborough Free Library to let them know they're in the right place."

Langley said the best way to get to the new location is to head east on Main Street (Route 20) to Bartlett Street, taking a right at the stoplight there. Go past Algonquin Regional High School, which will be on the left, and take a right onto Lyman Street. Once on Lyman, travel about a half-mile, past McKesson Trucking and FedEx. On the left on the corner is 71 Lyman St.

The hours at the new place will be the same as at the old - 9:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday; 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday and Saturday; and closed on Sunday.

The Main Street location closed July 14 to prepare for the move. It took a week for Langley and her staff to pack the collection, another week for movers to transfer everything to the new site or storage, and a third week to unpack everything and get it arranged in a useable manner.

Langley said books that were on hold around the time of the move were moved to the Shrewsbury Library so those waiting for books wouldn't have to wait an additional three weeks because the library was closed. Langley said the library is happy to change the books on hold back to Northborough if it's easier for town residents.

"So many people helped in the move," Langley said. "All the town departments were unbelievable, as were the neighboring libraries, who made our patrons feel welcome during the three weeks we were closed, especially the Shrewsbury Library. Accusoft did a great job getting the space ready for us, too. We want to thank the movers - the William B. Meyer Moving Company - all the volunteers. A special thanks goes out to Beezer's for providing ice cream sundaes for our staff, as well as our trustees and friends for other food that was provided, and all the other assistance we were given."