To the Editor:

The library needs your love. Despite having 97,174 items in its catalog pertaining to love, the Concord Free Public Library (CFPL) needs us to pledge ours at Town Meeting the week of April 8 and throughout 2019. On this Valentine’s Day, there are unlimited reasons to love the library and we want you to get in touch with yours.

About 70% of residents are card-carrying library patrons. Concord is a community of life-long learners, who value engaging with ideas, culture, and historical resources. It can’t be surprising that this level of engagement strains capacity and limits participation in programming because of space constraints. Thankfully, the CFPL Corporation has a solution.

After gathering public input, feedback from staff, and buy-in from the Town, a plan was put in motion to meet Concord’s evolving needs. The feedback led to an expansion and renovation design that reflects community interests, preserves the historical character of the main library and incorporates the Heywood-Benjamin house on Main Street (purchased in 2013).  Enhancements include:  additional handicapped parking; a workshop space; a larger children’s library with an activities room and story garden; a common area for conversation; more dedicated teen space; and a flexible forum where up to 140 people can gather for readings, musical performances, and lectures.

To fulfill these plans, the Library Corporation needs your support at Town Meeting and through our fundraising campaign. Learn more about this project at two forums in March and by visiting the library, its website at ConcordLibrary.org, and by connecting on Instagram and Facebook. We trust you will find many reasons to love the library today and every day!

Sincerely,

Jennifer Munn, 6 Bridgecourt Lane
Valerie Thayer,  1627 Monument Street
Co-Chairs, Library Communications Committee