SHUTESBURY — The cedar siding is complete, the windows and doors are in place, and solar panels are going up on the roof at the new library that is under construction at 66 Leverett Road.
Inside, where lighting, bathroom and kitchenette fixtures are in place and electrical and plumbing is complete, walls are now being painted and floors are being installed, along with the installation of window shade boxes.
A little over a year since the Aug. 2, 2024 groundbreaking on the 4,400-square-foot, $8.98 million building, work is nearing the finish line. However, officials say weather delays caused by periods when it was too cold and too wet, design adjustments and some supply chain issues mean that there is no formal date for opening yet.
Still, Library Director Mary Anne Antonellis said Construction Dynamics Inc., the general contractor, continues to make progress on the building that will replace the 768-square-foot M.N. Spear Memorial Library, the 1902 facility with no running water.
Library Building Committee Chair Elaine Puleo said she anticipates the new library opening sometime this fall.
The new building will have adult and children’s rooms, space for teens, a public meeting room for up to 50 people, display space for new and seasonal materials, a staff work room and a director’s office. It also will have more room for its Library of Things, including life vests and paddles for the library’s kayak loan program.
The Spear Family Adult Reading Room will offer expanded collections and two seating areas, along with a small study room providing a quiet place to read or work.
Landscaping and grounds work will be the last elements completed, and National
Grid must set the electric pole and provide permanent power to the site in advance of trenching and driveway work. That pole finally got placed recently.
Before opening, there are plans to involve the community in moving the books from the current library.
Roadtown Turkey Trot
The Friends of the Library will hold the third annual Roadtown Turkey Trot on Nov. 22, the Saturday before Thanksgiving, with a goal of raising $20,000 for putting the finishing touches on the new library’s outdoor spaces.
Early-bird registration is happening now, with information at roadtown.org.
