Haston Free Public Library, North Brookfield, Massachusetts
The Haston Free Library
North Brookfield, Massachusetts, is a lovely town of around 5,000 people in the central part of the state. Its library, the Haston Free Public Library, is just as beautiful. Built in 1894 and renovated in 2007, it was the most striking of the libraries we visited in the area.
The library is located right in the center of town. Its stately facade demonstrates the strength of the library and its role as a central - and beloved - institution. Although the most recent major work occurred nearly 20 years ago, we were blown away by the condition of the library, which is first-rate. The painting, furniture, and fittings contributed to a feeling of calm.
That’s not to say the library was quiet, far from it. In fact, this was the busiest of the five libraries we visited that day. (You can read our posts about East Brookfield, West Brookfield, Ware, and New Braintree to learn more about them.) It was near closing time when we arrived, and so our visit was shorter than we’d have liked, but it was long enough for us to be really impressed.
The mosaic floor, stained-glass windows, and antique lighting fixtures give the library a genteel feeling. The collection is located on the main floor and is respectable in size. On the second floor, we saw the nicely appointed children's area, as well as a multi-function community room.
There were lots of other nice little touches. The little mousehole, a mobile made by patrons about what they love about libraries and books, a funny little stage, and a seed library are just a few examples.
As we gushed about the library, Lia Reilly - the library’s director - provided a reality check. As lovely as the library is, it does face challenges. At the top of the list is the need for roof repairs.
Despite this being a short visit at the end of the day, the library made an impression. The opportunity to look at the library (or any library, for that matter) in the context of others in the area is always interesting. The Haston Free Library is an outstanding example of a well-loved town library!