HUDSON – A new chapter is about to begin for the Hudson Public Library.
With the construction grant application that was submitted on May 31, the library is officially in the running for a grant from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners’ 2023-2024 MA Public Library Construction Program.
Library Director Aileen Sanchez-Himes said the application will undergo an independent review and site visit this summer. In the fall, they will receive a notification about whether they have been selected for a grant or waitlisted.
“Our next steps include forming an approved Library Building Committee to oversee planning and design, marketing, fundraising and other essential efforts that contribute to the decision-making process,” said Sanchez-Himes.
This makes the library one step closer to addressing the current issues with the building and its addition built in 1966. Sanchez-Himes raised the idea of applying for a construction grant in January, and at the 2024 Annual Town Meeting the residents approved a capital request of $150,000 for the planning and design phase of the building project, which is contingent on receiving grant funds.
“It is essential to keep an open mind as we navigate this process. Our goal is to provide Hudson with a library that meets the growing needs of our community at minimum for the next three decades,” Sanchez-Himes said.
The historic downtown location of the library is ideal for public access, she said, but they are aware that the addition is failing structurally and continues to settle. It also has separated 2.5 inches, suffers from steampipe leaks and the overall layout is unsuitable for adequate library services.
She said that crack sensors were put in to monitor the continual shifting of the 1966 addition.
Sanchez-Himes said, “Patrons visiting the Hudson Public Library experience accessibility challenges when entering the building and navigating throughout the building’s three interior levels. … This is the antithesis of a welcoming and essential community resource for Hudson.”
Other issues that could be addressed are roof, electrical and heating-ventilation and air conditioning systems that need repair and the lack of meeting and study space in the current building.
The bottom line is “if it’s feasible for the library to remain at this location and expand as approved by MBLC, then the goal is to renovate the original [Andrew] Carnegie portion of the library and demolish the 1966 addition,” Sanchez-Himes said.
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She noted that a new addition would be constructed to meet the existing and future needs of Hudson residents and visitors.
She said the state commissioners know the essential value that libraries provide to communities and offers a funding formula for eligible costs to ensure the success of construction grant projects, including land acquisition for the library. The program funding formula is 60% for projects up to $5 million and decreases incrementally as costs increase.
The scale is 45% for the next $5 million, 35% for project costs between $10 million and $20 million and 30% for project costs between $20 million and $50 million.
Sanchez-Himes said, “We aim to keep expenses practical with the town and MBLC sharing approximately 50% each for our project.”
With the two critical votes at the 2024 Annual Town Meeting to expend construction program funds, if the grant is awarded and to approve the $150,000 contingent upon receipt, she said, “the unanimous support of the town demonstrates community backing for this library project.”
The commissioners will award an additional 50% up to $100,000 for a total of $250,000 for planning and design for the project. The votes were certified, and planning and design will span from October 2024 to December 2025.
“This is crucial for creating a library that meets Hudson’s needs and interests for the next 30 years,” Sanchez-Himes said.
She said with a dedicated Library Building Committee, the Library Trustees, the town of Hudson and professional architects, the aim is to design a library that aligns with Hudson’s long-term need.
Looking forward to 2026, town voters would potentially be casting votes for funding for a library building project. She believed the funding would have to come from a Proposition 2 and 1/2 debt exclusion vote at a future Town Meeting.
One thing that will make them competitive, she said, was the conditions assessment that reported many of the issues with the building as they illustrate how the addition has compounded the library’s structural needs.
She said, “Ultimately, through the conditions assessment, we want to emphasize that the town needs to take the necessary measures to support and provide Hudson residents with an updated library that is safe, welcoming, accessible and functional.”
Public libraries are essential, Sanchez-Himes said, as she urged for continued support of the library building project.
“We are Hudson’s vital community resource that everyone can access and benefit from – currently serving nearly 10K Hudson residents and numerous visitors from neighboring communities,” she said. “With the invaluable support of our community, we aspire to secure this grant and build a library that fulfills our mission of providing resources and opportunities that engage minds, enrich lives and empower our community.”
