Serving West Concord: Fowler Branch Library
Although Concord Center was well served by the establishment of the Main Library in 1873, residents of West Concord, then called Concord Junction, felt disconnected from the Library. A book delivery service was started in 1902 to provide books across town, but by 1917, people in West Concord were clamoring for their own branch library.
In 1921, Concord Junction resident and general store owner Loring Nixon Fowler left a major bequest to build a memorial library in West Concord. The lot was purchased in 1929, and prominent local architect Harry Little was hired to design the building, which was dedicated on May 18, 1930.
Expansions and Renovations
In the early 1990s, it became apparent the Fowler’s increasing usage was beginning to outstrip its ability to service its patrons with rising circulation and demand for more children’s services.
In 1993, the Concord Free Public Library Corporation launched a 3-year capital campaign and engaged architect David Holdorf. The 1996 expansion created an attached wing with an impressive skylight, shelving and seating, and made the building fully accessible. The Library Corporation raised the $570,000 needed for the project from generous community members. The Fowler Branch remained very busy and shelves were overflowing, along with demand for more children’s and youth services and meeting space.
In 2009, the Trustees of the Library Corporation voted to proceed with another Fowler Branch renovation and expansion with a capital campaign goal of $3.5 million. The Johnson Roberts Associates, Inc. design included a new and expanded children’s room, young adult area, accessible restrooms, and a buildout of the basement with additional space for the book collection and a community meeting room connected to the main floor reading room by a glass-fronted stairwell. Generous donors and a Community Preservation Act grant of $375,000 supported the project, which opened in 2011.
Fowler Library Today
While the Fowler Branch Library has continued to expand both the building and its collections, the overall neighborhood feel of the branch continues to be its defining characteristic. The cheerful warmth of the Fowler Branch and its staff continues to attract Concordians of all ages through innovative programming and collaboration with the West Concord community.
Learn More
Learn more about the history of the Concord Free Public Library and Concord Free Public Library Corporation by borrowing A History of the Concord Free Public Library 1873-2023: in Honor of the Sesquicentennial October 1, 2023.