The Wayland Free Public Library was founded in 1848 as arguably the first free public library in Massachusetts. However, the library movement began in Wayland much earlier. In 1796, Rev. Josiah Bridge, pastor of the First Church, organized the East Sudbury Social Library. By 1832, the Library’s collection had grown from its first purchase of 36 volumes to 227 volumes—all kept in the homes of the librarians.
The library’s third, and current, location opened in 1900, and solidified the important role the library plays in the educational and civic life of the Wayland community. Now, over 100 years later, a much larger population and burgeoning library use have led the Board of Library Trustees to examine the possibility for a new facility.
The proposed new library will be on Main Street, in the demographic center of town, well connected to four public schools, adjacent to the Middle School. The new building will contain the spaces and services now offered at the current library. It will also contain more spaces for study and meetings, a flexible space design with clear sight lines, seating throughout the building, dedicated space for children as well as one for teens, WiFi and improved technology. Learn more!
Learners of all ages depend on the Wayland Free Public Library to expand their horizons. The new building will better support their needs with a variety of spaces for quiet and collaborative work, resources to support their projects, and educational programming.
Situated next to the middle school, the new library will be the perfect place for students to meet as groups after school or gather with friends to collaborate or study. From infancy onward, the library will support hungry minds in both guided and self-directed learning, and provide exciting opportunities for intellectual engagement and growth, connecting residents to each other in ways the current library building cannot.
The preliminary conceptual design calls for a two-story facility of 33,390 square feet with a variety of seating options, including comfortable reading areas, a dedicated quiet area for uninterrupted work, and several individual and small-group study rooms for collaboration, tutoring, working; a midsize conference room for community meetings; a large, cheerful children’s space; a dedicated space for teens and young adults; a meeting/program room with 100-seat capacity; a technology lab; and a café area.
The drawings for this design, developed by Tappé Architects of Boston, are available here.
In full compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Massachusetts building code, the new building will have a barrier-free design that allows use by all regardless of ability. This includes accessible parking, entry doors, elevator use, and toilets as well as rooms throughout the facility. More openness in the building will allow for wider aisles and shelving within easy reach.
The new building will be LEED-certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) for maximum energy efficiency—a goal immediately visible in the long, sloping roof plane, positioned for solar-energy collection. Passive solar design will bring sunlight indoors in winter and block much of it in summer, with patrons enjoying natural daylight and views year-round. Energy consumption will be managed by highly insulated walls, windows, and roofs, sustainably sourced materials, and low-VOC construction methods. Special walk-off floor mats will control the particulates being tracked into the library from outdoors.
All patrons will have access to thoughtfully designed spaces in which to read, study, work, research and ponder. These will include meeting rooms of various sizes, a flexible layout, smart and integrated technology access throughout the building, and universally accessible space for all ages. The reference area will include a quiet room free of conversation and distractions. The library will support individuals, families, entrepreneurs, and businesses.
The new library will feature a flexible-use technology lab with up-to-date technology access for everyone. Technology classes will be a priority. Meeting spaces will be outfitted with high-tech infrastructure platforms to meet ever-increasing patron demands to be connected, to live-stream, and to participate in webinars and online conferencing. The new library will offer:
The new library will also provide space and support to those working remotely, and access to online education classes for remote learners.
The new library will finally give teens and tweens a space they can call their own. Young people will have input into the design and configuration of this light-filled area. The room will have comfortable seating for reading, as well as work tables for collaboration or group study. It will have up-to-date computers and technology, moveable stacks, and a flexible space for “maker” programming. Activities will be tailored for teens and tweens, and responsive to their changing interests and needs.
The Children’s Room in the new library will be filled with natural light and have ample spaces for story time, programs, and events. The programming space will have a washable floor perfect for arts and crafts. There will be a play area for toddlers and preschoolers, and a reading and work area for school-age children. Both zones will have furniture appropriately sized for children, as well as comfortable seating for adult caregivers. Moveable book stacks will be the right height for children, and can roll away to make room for other activities. Computers will be available for learning activities. There will be a children’s bathroom, a place to hang coats, and parking for strollers. The Children’s Room will be a cheerful, flexible, child-centered space with robust and creative programming.
Founders Edward Mellen and Frances Wayland, and the townspeople of Wayland, understood the importance of a library that would be a center of lifelong learning for the entire community. A new building will bring that vision into the twenty-first century, and on into the future, as a place that connects people to ideas, to knowledge, and to each other.
