Library Building Committee Chairperson Jim Devol, far right, helped cut the ribbon for the newly renovated Swansea Free Public Library after thanking residents for their support. (Photo Courtesy Town of Swansea)
SWANSEA — Town Administrator Mallory Aronstein and Library Director Jocelyn Tavares are proud to share that the Town of Swansea celebrated the completion of the newly renovated and expanded Swansea Free Public Library with a ribbon-cutting ceremony held last Saturday, Nov. 8.
A massive crowd of community members packed the historic library at 69 Main St. in Swansea Village to commemorate the end of a years-long renovation and expansion project. The event, held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., gave residents their first look at the transformed community space ahead of its official reopening for library operations on Monday, Nov. 10.
The celebration drew an estimated 200 attendees, including families, students, town officials, and members of the Friends of the Swansea Public Library — a volunteer group of more than 70 residents dedicated to supporting the library — who wore blue T-shirts reading “Meet Me at the Swansea Public Library.” Parking was scarce and the building was filled with visitors of all ages eager to explore the newly renovated library.
Use the following link to view the Town of Swansea’s compilation video from the ribbon-cutting ceremony: https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1AGhiCE7Zt/
Speakers at the ceremony included Town Administrator Aronstein, Library Director Tavares, Library Board of Trustees Chairperson Angela Dolan, Library Building Committee Chairperson Jim Devol, State Rep. Steven Howitt, State Rep. Justin Thurber, State Sen. Michael Rodrigues, and Debby Conrad of the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners.
The Swansea Free Public Library, originally constructed in 1899 and opened in 1900 as a gift to the town from benefactor Elizabeth Stevens, has been reimagined for the 21st century while preserving its historic character. The renovation process retained the library’s original front section — complete with hardwood floors, coffered cathedral ceiling, and brick fireplace — while introducing new, modern features across approximately 20,000 square feet of space.
The building now includes a modern Children’s Room on the second floor — a major upgrade from the previous basement location — along with a Young Adult Room, a STEAM Lab (with a 3D printer), a Quiet Study Room, and new handicap accessibility features and bathrooms. Several second-floor rooms feature glass walls that give the interior an open, light-filled design that’s reminiscent of modern Apple Store facades.
“This project was a decade in the making,” said Library Building Committee Chairperson Jim Devol. “I want to give thanks to anyone who ever did anything on this job, and who voted for this thing — thank you very much. It matters when you come to Town Meeting and you vote.”
Devol noted that the effort to make the library a reality began over 10 years ago, culminating in a Town Meeting ballot vote in 2022 where residents approved $19 in public funding for the renovation project by a margin of 14 votes.
Originally, $4 million of that $19 million was approved by voters to be paid through short-term borrowing. But that was unnecessary due to a combination of creative financing by the Town of Swansea, extra funding received as part of a Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners grant, and project construction costs coming in under budget.
“There’s been a sense of collaboration and cooperation, firm positions but very fair negotiations, on everybody’s part,” Devol added. “We’ve ended up with a great building at a really quite reasonable cost. And we’ve been able to add back some improvements throughout the course of this project to make it a much better building.”
During the construction process, which began in September 2024, library services continued uninterrupted from a temporary location in the basement of the Olde White Church on Route 6.
“Today we reaffirm our commitment to knowledge, inclusion and the belief that everyone deserves access to information and the opportunity to learn new things,” said Library Board of Trustees Chairperson Angela Dolan. “To our students, families and neighbors, this library belongs to you. Whether you are here to discover new worlds, connect with others or simply find a quiet place to read, we welcome you. May this library be a place of curiosity, growth and lifelong learning for generations to come.”
“Past and present committees worked so hard with our architects and project managers to find a design that would meet the function of a library with the character of Swansea,” said Library Director Jocelyn Tavares. “Elizabeth Stevens bestowed this institution to enrich the Swansea community, possibly never imagining all this today. We are proud to extend her legacy to the 21st century. A library is a community — a place to learn, explore, meet, play, create and connect. The physical structure is now here. We hope you will join us.”
Town Administrator Mallory Aronstein commended the dedication and persistence of everyone involved in the decade-long effort to see the project through to completion.
“I’d like to congratulate everyone involved in this project. It is an absolute success story,” Aronstein said. “The story of this building is a touching one, full of resilience and a whole lot of effort, which is typical of this great community. Now we have a library that is a symbol to be proud of, and a true beacon of what volunteerism, dedication, resilience, and a little elbow grease can achieve.”
To summarize the spirit of the day, Aronstein quoted philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, who famously championed libraries as engines of civic progress: “A library outranks any other one thing a community can do to benefit its people. It is a never-failing spring in the desert.”
Aronstein then added with a smile, “Drink up, Swansea!”
The Swansea Free Public Library is now open to the public at 69 Main St., Swansea. Library hours: Monday – Thursday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The library is closed on Sundays.
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Members of the Friends of the Swansea Public Library attended the ribbon cutting in matching blue T-shirts that read “Meet Me at the Swansea Public Library.” (Photo Courtesy Town of Swansea)
The renovated front section of the library retains its historic charm, featuring original hardwood floors, coffered ceilings, and a brick fireplace. (Photo Courtesy Town of Swansea)
Visitors explored the bright and modern interior of the newly renovated Swansea Free Public Library during the ribbon cutting event held on Saturday, Nov. 8. (Photo Courtesy Town of Swansea)
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