Funding & History
An October 30th, 2013 story in the Newburyport Daily News provided detailed information regarding the new library's design, size and other interesting information.
The Arakelian Foundation has donated $200,000 to the new library! Read more about this generous gift in an October 15th, 2013 story in the Newburyport Daily News.
The Institution for Savings has donated $500,000 to the building fund for the new library! Read more about this generous gift in an October 30th, 2013 story in the Newburyport Daily News.
New Salisbury Public Library F.A.Q.
When does new construction begin?
Construction should start in the spring of 2014.
When will the new library be finished?
If the project stays on schedule - Fall 2015
Where is the new library going to be?
We're keeping our address! The new library will be built right here where
the old one is now.
Why couldn't the current library be incorporated into the new building?
The new library will be a two story building. The current library could not support
a second floor and it was cost prohibitive to retro fit.
What happens to the library during construction ? Where is it going?
The library's temporary location is at 167 Elm Street, in the Rangeway Plaza..
What's the best way to get info about the construction?
Check out the New Library link on our website or ask a staff member.
How can I make a donation?
Your tax deductible contribution can be made out to " Friends of the
Salisbury Public Library" with "building fund" in the memo.
New library design, budget passed at Town Meeting
From Newburyport Daily News
May 18, 2010
By Angeljean Chiaramida, Staff Writer
SALISBURY — Town Meeting last night approved a design for a larger library, a right-to-farm bylaw with a new agricultural commission, two new zones allowing solar and wind energy-generating activity and a budget for the coming year.
It took longer for moderator Ron Ray to read the article that requested approval for an $18,467,332 budget for the coming year than it took for Town Meeting to approve it, a stamp of approval that Town Manager Neil Harrington found gratifying.
But the 251 voters who packed Salisbury Elementary School cafeteria chewed over the 17,000-square-foot proposed design to enlarge the town's current 3,000-square-foot library for half an hour before overwhelmingly giving it the nod of approval.
Some took the floor to advise not to approve the new design, which will build a new, two-story library at its present location on Salisbury Square to meet the needs of the community for the next two decades.
A few didn't want to tear down the present library but wanted to incorporate the building into the new one, something officials said wasn't possible.
Others thought the design too big, and that no matter how much money in grants the town received to build it, running such a large facility would be beyond the town's means once it's built. Others suggested Salisbury residents should simply continue to use the larger, more modern libraries in other communities to meet its library needs.
Selectman Ed Hunt said technology could soon make libraries obsolete, his reason for not favoring spending the money to build and staff a larger building to house new books, programs and more and newer computers.
Although many others spoke in favor of the proposals, it was two of the youngest voters at Town Meeting who turned the tide and won the day.
Twenty-one-year-old Joseph Stucker told Town Meeting the youth of the town need a better library to enhance their education, a resource required for future generations.
"I remember going to story hour at that library," said Stucker, a Triton graduate and now a student at Boston University studying mass communication. "I've pretty much lived at that library my whole life. Twenty-five years ago, we tried to expand it and didn't. To say we should mooch off another town's (library) is inexcusable."
And Eric Morris, 19, explained the library needed more and better computers for residents and for students to use in their school and college work. Some newer books won't hurt either, he added.
"I'd gotten 'Animal House' out of the library recently," he said. "The book had to be about (60 years old)."
The approval won last night, in addition to the approval of the article allowing the solicitation of grant money to build it, isn't the final word on building the library, Selectman Henry Richenburg said. The question to allocate town funds to build is yet to come, and Town Meeting will have the final word at that time, he said.
Library Expansion Update: May 2009
The Salisbury Public Library received a $40,000 grant to look into expanding. Reprint Permission by The Newburyport
News.
In June 2007, the Salisbury Public Library was awarded a $40,000.00 Planning and Design Grant from the Mass. Board of Library Commissioners with matching funds ($20,000.00) voted on at Fall 2007 town meeting.
The Library Vision Committee began meeting in January 2008. Their purpose was three-fold. First, to examine the existing library, its collections, programs and services-to essentially provide a snapshot of the Salisbury Public Library as it exists today. Second, to determine future needs based on a twenty year population projection and anticipate future holdings, collections and services required, and finally to prepare a written building program summarizing their findings and outlining specifics for each area of the new library building.
Some of the central objectives for the new design:
Library Vision Committee:
Co-Chairs Bill Carroll, Henry Richenburg; members Maureen Dupray, Erica Hixon, Bobbi Klima, Terry Kyrios, Karen MacInnis, Brenda O’Connell, Lisa Pearson, Donna Stucker, Joe Stucker and Nick Sullivan.
The Arakelian Foundation has donated $200,000 to the new library! Read more about this generous gift in an October 15th, 2013 story in the Newburyport Daily News.
The Institution for Savings has donated $500,000 to the building fund for the new library! Read more about this generous gift in an October 30th, 2013 story in the Newburyport Daily News.
New Salisbury Public Library F.A.Q.
When does new construction begin?
Construction should start in the spring of 2014.
When will the new library be finished?
If the project stays on schedule - Fall 2015
Where is the new library going to be?
We're keeping our address! The new library will be built right here where
the old one is now.
Why couldn't the current library be incorporated into the new building?
The new library will be a two story building. The current library could not support
a second floor and it was cost prohibitive to retro fit.
What happens to the library during construction ? Where is it going?
The library's temporary location is at 167 Elm Street, in the Rangeway Plaza..
What's the best way to get info about the construction?
Check out the New Library link on our website or ask a staff member.
How can I make a donation?
Your tax deductible contribution can be made out to " Friends of the
Salisbury Public Library" with "building fund" in the memo.
New library design, budget passed at Town Meeting
From Newburyport Daily News
May 18, 2010
By Angeljean Chiaramida, Staff Writer
SALISBURY — Town Meeting last night approved a design for a larger library, a right-to-farm bylaw with a new agricultural commission, two new zones allowing solar and wind energy-generating activity and a budget for the coming year.
It took longer for moderator Ron Ray to read the article that requested approval for an $18,467,332 budget for the coming year than it took for Town Meeting to approve it, a stamp of approval that Town Manager Neil Harrington found gratifying.
But the 251 voters who packed Salisbury Elementary School cafeteria chewed over the 17,000-square-foot proposed design to enlarge the town's current 3,000-square-foot library for half an hour before overwhelmingly giving it the nod of approval.
Some took the floor to advise not to approve the new design, which will build a new, two-story library at its present location on Salisbury Square to meet the needs of the community for the next two decades.
A few didn't want to tear down the present library but wanted to incorporate the building into the new one, something officials said wasn't possible.
Others thought the design too big, and that no matter how much money in grants the town received to build it, running such a large facility would be beyond the town's means once it's built. Others suggested Salisbury residents should simply continue to use the larger, more modern libraries in other communities to meet its library needs.
Selectman Ed Hunt said technology could soon make libraries obsolete, his reason for not favoring spending the money to build and staff a larger building to house new books, programs and more and newer computers.
Although many others spoke in favor of the proposals, it was two of the youngest voters at Town Meeting who turned the tide and won the day.
Twenty-one-year-old Joseph Stucker told Town Meeting the youth of the town need a better library to enhance their education, a resource required for future generations.
"I remember going to story hour at that library," said Stucker, a Triton graduate and now a student at Boston University studying mass communication. "I've pretty much lived at that library my whole life. Twenty-five years ago, we tried to expand it and didn't. To say we should mooch off another town's (library) is inexcusable."
And Eric Morris, 19, explained the library needed more and better computers for residents and for students to use in their school and college work. Some newer books won't hurt either, he added.
"I'd gotten 'Animal House' out of the library recently," he said. "The book had to be about (60 years old)."
The approval won last night, in addition to the approval of the article allowing the solicitation of grant money to build it, isn't the final word on building the library, Selectman Henry Richenburg said. The question to allocate town funds to build is yet to come, and Town Meeting will have the final word at that time, he said.
Library Expansion Update: May 2009
The Salisbury Public Library received a $40,000 grant to look into expanding. Reprint Permission by The Newburyport
News.
In June 2007, the Salisbury Public Library was awarded a $40,000.00 Planning and Design Grant from the Mass. Board of Library Commissioners with matching funds ($20,000.00) voted on at Fall 2007 town meeting.
The Library Vision Committee began meeting in January 2008. Their purpose was three-fold. First, to examine the existing library, its collections, programs and services-to essentially provide a snapshot of the Salisbury Public Library as it exists today. Second, to determine future needs based on a twenty year population projection and anticipate future holdings, collections and services required, and finally to prepare a written building program summarizing their findings and outlining specifics for each area of the new library building.
Some of the central objectives for the new design:
- Keep the location on the town green as “the Heart of the Community” and centerpiece of the Village Historic District and to be architecturally compatible in style and scale to its neighbors.
- Minimize the impact on the green in terms of reduced site coverage, respect for existing monuments and trees.
- Provide sufficient and safe vehicular, pedestrian and handicapped access and parking.
- Provide increased capacity and services for every segment of the population and to provide “information/education/recreation” for the whole community.
- To be conscious of the town’s budget constraints, both in initial expense and on-going operational and maintenance
costs.
Library Vision Committee:
Co-Chairs Bill Carroll, Henry Richenburg; members Maureen Dupray, Erica Hixon, Bobbi Klima, Terry Kyrios, Karen MacInnis, Brenda O’Connell, Lisa Pearson, Donna Stucker, Joe Stucker and Nick Sullivan.