Paige Memorial Library, Hardwick, Massachusetts
We visited the Paige Memorial Library in Hardwick a few weeks after visiting the Gilbertville Public Library. Together, they provide library services to the town of 2,700 people on the eastern flank of the Quabbin Reservoir. Both of the libraries are lovely, but here we’ll focus on the Paige. You can read about our visit to the Gilbertville library here.
Greg met his brother, David, at the library for some sew-bro time.
The grounds are tidy and well-kept. It includes a small but sufficient parking lot, a pergola, a picnic table overlooking a pond, a handful of seating areas, and the streets of a fairy village. Julie, the library director, explained that the town has four villages (Gilbertville is one), but that expands to five during the Hardwick Fair in August when the fairy village comes alive at the library.
As we stood in front of the library chatting, we noticed something amiss with the library’s clock. See if you can spot the problem. Right at the moment, Peter, a library superfan and the person responsible for winding the clock, appeared as if on cue. We pointed out the problem to him, and he asked if we’d like to see the clock. Just so you know, we ALWAYS want to see the clock, and eagerly agreed.
We entered the library, and Peter pulled down a trap door in the vestibule. Greg and his brother clambered up the ladder behind Peter. We found ourselves in the very unfinished attic. Climbing another small ladder, we were at the clock. It’s a beautiful iron-and-brass mechanism that was whirring happily away. The clock is powered by boxes of rocks that serve as weights. We love seeing these amazing antiques!
The other notable thing in the attic is the skylight for the rotunda. Huge beams surround it, and the cupola above lets in the sunshine. The whole thing is impressive from above and below.
After descending the stairs, we went into the teen room, just off the vestibule. This is a separate space with no sightlines to anything. It always strikes us as odd when the teens are given such secluded spaces, but here it seems to work. The room is very nice. It also houses the library’s collection of historical materials, as well as some of the many WW1 posters found throughout the library.
Entering the library proper, we found ourselves in the rotunda we’d seen from above. This space is really striking. The natural light, the fantastic mosaic floor, and the overall condition are all really wonderful. The circulation desk, a curio cabinet, and a seed library are all in this area. Julie explained that the library was built in 1906, renovated in 1989, and again in 1998. Those renovations made the basement into a public space and installed an elevator.
To the right is the main adult collection. It’s pretty large. The stacks are the original ones from 1906. In addition to the stacks, there is also a “book tree” that is decorated seasonally. There are a few places one could work in there, too. The floors and fixtures are all great, particularly the old steam radiators.
Reentering the rotunda and turning to the right, you’ll find public technology and a nice grandfather’s clock. Oh, and a quilt - you know we love quilts. A bit farther along is a large space with a working fireplace. The arts-and-crafts woodwork around the fireplace is outstanding. People were working at a large table in this area during our visit.
The Children’s collection is also here. As with the adult collection, there are many children’s resources. There’s a nice little painted table that illustrates the town’s history. In addition to this table, there’s also a play table in the room. Children’s activities aren’t limited to this space, as there’s a craft/program area in the basement.
That was our next stop. Julie showed us the multipurpose space and then the big old boilers that once heated the library. Another space was once a coal room, but now serves as storage. After thanking Julie, we returned to the craft room, and the sew-bros set down to work.
This is an absolutely lovely library. We were amazed at its terrific condition from top to bottom. Julie and Peter were generous with their time and knowledge. We hope the community recognizes what a fantastic place this library is and does all it can to keep it healthy far into the future.