EASTHAMPTON — Meet-up groups at the Emily Williston Memorial Library squeeze into an alcove between bookshelves. Cars find parking along the street. Space is minimal for programs.
Housed between Route 10 and Park Street, across the street from Pepin Elementary School, the library has little to no room for growth.
Since the Emily Williston Memorial Library was built in the 1880s, the building has undergone two major renovations. One was in 1930 when the basement was renovated and the second was in 1966.
Library officials say it’s time to replace the 136-year-old building, and discussion has begun on how to get the project moving.
“I think Easthampton deserves a modern and adequate library,” library director Nora Blake said.
The library’s five-year strategic plan is due to be submitted to the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners in October. Blake said the plan will focus on funding options for a new building.
Grants for library projects through the board are available in rounds depending on bond funding. None is currently available.
This month, Hadley was awarded $3.9 million to replace the Goodwin Memorial Library and Amherst was placed on the waiting list for its project to expand the Jones Library.
For the Easthampton library, Blake said they would seek out funding through the state’s planning and design grant. While there are no future rounds set, Blake said she thinks it will become available in the next two years.
The library would then seek a construction grant through the state board, which funds 45 to 50 percent of eligible costs. If approved the library would have six months to obtain funding for the other half of the costs, possibly through a tax increase if approved by voters.
Library officials anticipate that the whole process would take eight to 10 years.
High turnover of library directors has contributed to the focus on the future, Blake said. In the past 10 years, the library has had five directors, including a 10-month period in 2011 and 2012 where it did not have a permanent director.
When it comes to working on day-to-day operations, the library is on a tight budget.
A third of its operating budget is funded by the private nonprofit Public Library Association of Easthampton, which was established in the 1860s by Samuel Williston.
But funding through the association can vary with the performance of its investments. If the endowment doesn’t do well, the library must cut costs. Blake said she had to cut some of the hours for staff members recently.
For fiscal 2017, the library requested $307,316 from the city as a demonstration of the its full operating costs. The city currently funds $208,000 of the operating budget.
Blake said the library’s goal is to have operations fully funded by the city.
However, additional money is needed for maintenance and repairs. Fundraising initiatives and donations contributed $10,000 to the library last year. This year, $3,000 has been raised through Valley Gives, according to Blake.
Through a $7,500 grant from the Easthampton Savings Bank, which was matched by the volunteer group Emily’s Friends of the Library, 10 laptops with equipment were purchased earlier this year.
With the purchase of the laptops, the library now offers a computer program with the Council on Aging Enrichment Center and started a Minecraft video game group. The laptops also allow the library to offer the program at the Council on Aging facility.
Money raised by Emily’s Friends has also supported programs, special events and items at the library such as shelving and museum passes.
Library Association of Easthampton president Raymah Hutchinson said the library is continuing to work to provide more free programming to residents.
“We want to be the best library we can be,” Hutchinson said.
Hutchinson said a staff member joked not to tell the Gazette about Dungeons and Dragons night because the event draws a large enough crowd already.
In June, Tom Ricardi’s birds of prey presentation to kick off the adult summer reading program brought in about 50 people. Blake said the library had to close registration because the event was at capacity.
Brick Builders Club, where children work on a Lego challenge, draws in more than a dozen youngsters. The library also started a graphic novel book club which has taken off, Hutchinson said.
But for meet-ups at the library, such as book clubs, Blake said people often pile in an alcove.
For 18-year-old Nora Perlmutter who travels from Springfield to tutor Sarena Gonzalez, 16, at the Easthampton library, the alcoves are often taken. Although space at a table in the common space of the library is open, it can get loud.
Blake, who started as director in January 2016, is working on improving the library and its services. The railing in the front of the building was fixed up and now spells out “READ” with each letter a different color.
Blake said she would like to have a library book delivery service to people who are homebound, improve the Wi-Fi service and put up temporary walls to create private spaces.
When it comes to room dividers, shelving and cases, Blake said it’s helpful to have anything with wheels, because the library needs to be efficient with its space.
But a major issue for the library is parking. There is no lot and no designated parking spots.
“We don’t have adequate parking,” Raymah said.
As a short-term option, Blake said she plans to look into asking the Department of Public Works to paint lines for parking spots on the street.
“There isn’t really any solution,” Blake said.
Caitlin Ashworth can be reached at cashworth@gazettenet.com.