The Wayland Free Public Library is one of our most treasured resources. It engages with people of every demographic in town – from toddlers to retirees – by offering educational and cultural programs and by providing access to a wide range of literature and information in a variety of formats, including books, music, databases, periodicals, electronic media, and technological services. Unfortunately, our beloved building on Concord Road, built in 1900, poses significant challenges that limit the Library’s ability to provide the types of services that most modern libraries now offer. These include such things as quiet study areas, small and large group meeting spaces, separate program areas for children, easily browsable stacks, and a dedicated teen space. The building also has a history of flooding and traffic issues.
In August 2014, Governor Deval Patrick signed a bond bill authorizing over $150 million for the Massachusetts Public Library Construction (MPLC) Program. It was the first library construction bond to be approved in six years. Over the next several years, these funds became available to communities in the Commonwealth that are seeking to renovate their libraries, expand them, or build new ones. These state construction grants covered roughly 45 percent of the total construction costs of an approved library project. In 2018, the Library received one of these grants, conditional upon the community voting to build a new library, which it failed to do. These documents were part of that project.