Salisbury Public Library, Salisbury, Massachusetts
The last library we’ll present from our summer tour of North Shore libraries was the Salisbury Public Library in Salisbury, Massachusetts. Salisbury is a seaside town of around 10,000 people, right on the New Hampshire line. Greg and Rachael both visited Salisbury Beach during their respective childhoods, but neither has strong memories. What they do have strong memories of is how much they liked and enjoyed their visit to the current library. Designed by Design Partnership of Cambridge, the LEED certified library is pretty fantastic.
From the exterior, the library is somewhat reminiscent of the Hamilton-Wenham Public Library. As we entered, we found ourselves in a large open space. The circulation desk was to our left, and a nice seating area was to our right. Through interior windows, we could peer into the children’s area, which we would visit in a moment. We also noticed the nice lighting hanging down from the tall ceiling above.
The youth services sections of the library were very nice. Children’s was colorful and inviting. We saw the third Hungry Caterpillar of the day, cute fairy houses, a dragon, and plenty of books, seating areas, play spaces, and more. Teens, which is on the second floor, is also colorful - in this case, purple. As is the case at many libraries, the teen area is restricted to teens. It has public computers, plenty of seating, and a very appealing vibe.
The bulk of the library’s collection is on the second floor, along with the reference desk and a good-sized conference room. (There is a larger meeting room on the first floor.) We’re suckers for fireplaces and cozy seating areas, and loved the ones we saw on this visit. We also loved the workbar on the second floor, as well as some of the public art we saw.
While on this floor, we also spoke to a helpful and friendly reference librarian, who provided us with details on the town and the library. We were struck by the great condition of the library. Even at 11 years old, the Salisbury Public Library looked to our eyes to be as good as new. We know by observation and experience that keeping a library in such great condition takes a lot of work and we were impressed.
During our visit, the library was fairly busy but also subdued. There was a very positive atmosphere and a hushed tone to the place that we found appealing. While we were there, we saw people browsing the newspapers, chatting, knitting, and using the bright and lovely window seats to read and relax. This was a positive visit to a very solid library. Two big thumbs up!