Clapp Memorial Library

It took a couple of weeks from my first visit to the Clapp Memorial Library and a bunch of finagling with the mail system to finally get myself a library card -- something I consider of great importance to every community member (and not just because I'm a librarian).

I've been hearing wonderful things about the Belchertown Library for weeks now -- it seems that everyone who visits the library loves it. Rave reviews have been given to the Book Sale (Oct 13-18), where books sell for $1 or less (and according to the ad board, there are 50,000 items available for sale!), and to the staff, who are super friendly and very helpful.

There are a few issues at the library at the moment -- earlier this summer the ceiling caved in leaving massive amounts of work to be done to get things fixed up. The library is still running exclusively out of the Children's Room in the basement, but all reports claim that the work is nearing completion and the library should be up and running at full strength soon.

Also, the library is working on an expansion and renovation project. The state has approved $3.3 million in funds, but only if the library can come up with it's own share of the monies, as well. It needs to find $7.3 million more in contributions within the next 17 months in order to pay the $10.6 million price tag of the expansion plans. The plans look wonderful and an expanded renovated library would be a huge boon to the community. Contact the library for more info.

And briefly, my time at the library was well spent. The staff are indeed very nice and enthusiastic, and though the collection is minimal at the moment, books can be requested through the catalog and brought in from libraries across the state. I'm so excited to be a library member again (I've already requested 3 books)!