On August 5, the Jones Library Capital Campaign presented a $600,000 payment to Town Manager Paul Bockelman, the latest remittance to the Town towards the  expenses of the renovation and expansion of the Library. The Town has now received $7 million toward the Capital Campaign’s total commitment of $15.8 million. As funds are received, the Capital Campaign will continue to make payments to the Town as required by the Trustees’ April 2021 Memorandum of Agreement.

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Construction and renovation of the Jones Library building is ongoing. Milestones include:

• Slate roofing is nearing completion, with about 1 month left of installation. In keeping with the Library’s commitment to historic restoration, the project is using real slate, rather than a synthetic alternative. TPO Roofing on the new portion of the building is also nearly completed.
• 99% of the exterior vapor barriers are installed on the new portion of the building. All exterior walls have been insulated, and interior framing and duct work is underway.
• The replacement of historic windows is well underway. As per our Section 106 historic preservation agreement, the windows are wood framed replicas of the original windows in size and appearance, using modern, energy efficient materials. They appear virtually identical in a side-by side comparison of the original windows.

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Library Director Sharon Sharry shared, “It is thrilling to see the Town come together in support of this Library. We can’t wait for the doors to open in Spring 2027, providing rich programs and services to each and every community member. The new library will be fully ADA accessible, providing safe and inviting space for teens to gather, plenty of space for our ESL programs, warm and friendly spaces for kids and their families, ample technological services and computers, and of course quiet places to settle down and read a good book.”

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Renovation and expansion planning has been underway for over a decade. When complete, the renovation and expansion will make the Jones Library one of the most climate- friendly buildings in Amherst, restoring most of the original 1928 building, expanding programming space to meet current and emerging needs for all ages and multiple populations, while improving the layout to be fully accessible, functional, and welcoming for everyone.

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The Campaign has $6.1 million left to raise towards its $15.8 million goal, having raised $9.7 million in pledges and gifts, including $1.7 in the last fiscal year. The Campaign Committee and staff are actively working to complete fundraising over the next year.

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We invite anyone interested in supporting the Jones Library renovation and expansion to make a donation, of any amount, today at joneslibrarycapitalcampaign.org/donate. If you are interested in making a gift to name a space in the library, please contact Lisa DeGrace (Director of Development) at info@joneslibrarycapitalcampaign.org.

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