SUPPORT YOUR PUBLIC LIBRARY
COME TO THE SPECIAL TOWN MEETING ON OCTOBER 20TH AT 6:30PM, TOWN HALL
VOTE FOR THE $1 MILLION FROM COAST GUARD HOUSING SALES TO HELP RESTORE THE LIBRARY
On June 1, 1895, the citizens of Nahant opened the doors to a Jacobethan Revival style granite library designed by the distinguished Boston firm of Ball and Dabney. As the first electrified building in town, it stood as a symbol of civic pride and progress. In 1991, this remarkable structure was added to the State and National Registers of Historic Places for its architectural and cultural significance. For 131 years, it has served as a beacon of learning, belonging, and imagination.
The Nahant Public Library is a free and welcoming place for all. It offers hardbound books and e-books, audio and visual materials, games, jigsaw puzzles, computers, free streaming of movies and music, and museum passes. Programs for all ages have multiplied with story times for children and workshops for adults. There is a mystery book club, a crafting circle, author talks, STEM playgroup, and conversational Italian classes. An introduction to Mahjong program just took place. In 2025, a record number of 4,531 people attended programs at the library.
Our Public Library is often considered everyone’s favorite building in Nahant. People remember it as a place they used very often in their childhood. Although many adults have not visited it in years, when they do cross its threshold, they are appalled with the neglected condition of the beautiful library they have held in their memories.
Our library has reached a critical juncture. The interior infrastructure is failing because its physical condition has been neglected for decades. Multi-year Community Preservation grants have completed the envelope projects to rebuild the wraparound porch, repoint the façade, and re-plug leaks on the roof, but no funds have been appropriated for the interior. The building’s viability, and the health and safety of staff and users are threatened in numerous ways:
• The current 200-amp electrical service is insufficient for modern library operations. Our town electrician has recommended increasing the capacity to 800 amps.
• The building lacks fire sprinklers, a modern fire detection system, and there is no security system to protect books and artwork.
• There is also no climate control or HVAC, causing years of moisture infiltration and temperature fluctuations that have ruined countless numbers of books. Lack of controls are damaging the historic 1819 book collection.
• Original windows are inoperable and old doors have irreplaceable parts. Plumbing pipes have corroded; flooring, ceilings, interior plaster, and historic woodwork all require professional restoration after decades of unfunded repairs.
In 2025, the Library Trustees updated the 2019 Master Plan to restore our historic library. Our library architect, Richard Smith, together with cost estimators, A.M. Fogarty, provided the figure of $4 million to complete the work on the interior of the library.
The Board of Trustees and Friends of the Library began to explore avenues for funding for the major upgrades needed for the library. We solicited a grant from a very generous donor, who wishes to remain anonymous. The donor offered a challenge grant of $2 million, if the town and community at large would match it. In the last year, we have raised another $1 million from private citizens of Nahant, and we now offer the town a historic 3:1 match in requesting the final $1million needed to complete the project.
Without requiring any borrowing or new taxes to the residents of Nahant, we are asking the town to approve a contribution of $1 million, sourced from a portion of the excess proceeds of the Coast Guard housing lot sales. The library is a municipal building, owned by the town of Nahant. There is a responsibility to maintain the building in good condition.
The project timeline sees fiscal years 2027 to 2028 to finalize plans and bidding and to commence and complete construction of the historic restoration of our library.
The library is everybody’s home outside of our own homes. It is a place for us to learn, to reflect, and to connect in a calming place that remains free and open to all. By restoring our historic library building, we will ensure that it remains a beacon of stability to the community for decades to come.
See more details on the Town website HERE