Athol Public Library

Considered to be the “heart” of the community, the Athol Public Library is on a unique site with its 1918 entry on Main Street in the downtown commercial district, and the new addition facing the Miller’s River. To meet the increased needs of the Library, inspiration was pulled from the simplified Classical Revival Style of the original building. A glass entry link connects the old with the new, giving shape once again to the original structure that was “buried” in additions. The building then reaches toward the river in a very directional manner, offering abundant views through large expanses of glass. By both complementing and contrasting with the original structure, this energy efficient addition pays homage to the forward-looking nature of this community. A Low-carbon footprint was achieved by using locally sourced building materials, creating a digitized local history collections and utilizing high performance mechanical equipment.

The addition includes expanded Children’s and Adult’s collections and programs, as well as various small group and quiet study spaces, and web-ready laptop bars located within the more bustling linkage between the old and new parts of the library. The addition is also is the flagship project and keystone of the Miller’s Riverwalk initiative through a colonnade at ground level that behaves as a buffer from parking.

The new Library has been recognized by the USGBC as the only LEED Platinum certified Carnegie library expansion