Mayor Walsh launches Adams Street Branch library project

 Today Mayor Martin J. Walsh launched the Adams Street Branch Library Project and highlighted capital investments planned at libraries across the Boston Public Library system, which total over $90 million in his FY17-21 Building a Better Boston Capital Plan. A community celebration for the announcement was held at the Adams Street Branch in Dorchester, where the $12.6 million project will renew the branch library, reflect the Boston Public Library Compass principles and support the needs of the neighborhood.

"Investing in the Boston Public Library means investing in the futures of all Boston residents; our libraries are critical access points where we gather as one community to seek information and knowledge," said Mayor Walsh. "I am committed to reinvigorating our locations throughout the city."

The FY17-21 Building a Better Boston Capital Plan continues to demonstrate Mayor Walsh's strong commitment to revitalizing the Boston Public Library's historic Central Library in Copley Square and its branches throughout Boston's neighborhoods. Investing in Boston's neighborhood branches helps ensure a vital and vibrant community. In today's society, libraries serve as conduits for information, spaces in which citizens and neighbors meet and collaborate, and of course, as access points for reading and literacy. Among a range of services for life-long learning, the Library offers Boston's youths a safe place to learn and access additional educational opportunities, and provide today's citizens with resources for furthering skills and exploring new job opportunities.

Through a study of the Adams Branch Library project, the City will assess whether a building renovation, addition, or new construction best contributes to the neighborhood's vibrancy and meets community needs. Throughout the study and design process for the project, the Walsh Administration will host several community meetings to discuss possibilities for the branch.

The Mayor's Building a Better Boston Capital Plan includes additional projects such as:
Commencement of design and construction for Roslindale Branch budgeted at $6.7 million;
Beginning construction at the Dudley Branch Library, which has a total project cost of $14.7 million; and
Continued construction on the renovation of the Jamaica Plain Branch, estimated at $10 million.
The $78 million Central Library renovation which enriches library services and visitors' experience, expands Children's and Teen areas; updates building systems, enhances reading study, technology and learning areas, and improves accessibility will open this summer. The five year capital plan also budgets for future branch projects and improved library infrastructure.

"These improvements will provide services and experiences that will enliven communities and make these locations go-to destinations for educational resources and opportunities to grow, learn, and thrive in the City of Boston," said Boston Public Library Interim President David Leonard. "I want to thank Mayor Walsh for his commitment to the Boston Public Library system."

Any proposed library renovation or new construction starts with a 12-15 month programming study to gauge community need; a 6-12 month design process when an architect is selected and architectural plans are drawn up, prior to a groundbreaking.

About BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY
Boston Public Library has a Central Library, twenty-four branches, map center, business library, and a website filled with digital content and services. Established in 1848, the Boston Public Library has pioneered public library service in America. It was the first large free municipal library in the United States, the first public library to lend books, the first to have a branch library, and the first to have a children's room. Each year, the Boston Public Library hosts thousands of programs and serves millions of people. All of its programs and exhibitions are free and open to the public. At the Boston Public Library, books are just the beginning. To learn more, visit bpl.org.