Somerville's Oldest Public Library to Undergo Renovations

The West Branch Library in Somerville will soon undergo major renovations, which will bring the oldest public library in the City up to date with the times.

Plans for upcoming renovations were discussed by area residents, library workers and a design team last week, the Somerville Times reports.

Somerville’s Director of Libraries, Glenn Ferdman, told the Times the library plans to step into the 21st century without compromising the building’s historical value.

In doing so the library plans to add “access to digital content, virtual reference services, instruction in the use of computers, eReaders, and other devices, and career-training types of programming, and more,” according to Feldman.

As part of the renovations, upgrades will be conducted on the exterior and the interior of the library. Mechanical systems will be swapped out and a new large meeting space will be added.

The upgrades to the library will be kept at a minimum in order to preserve the history the building adds to the community, according to Feldman.

Photo Credit: CDRC Boston