Buildng Project Update – March 2025
The Pomfret Public Library is excited to announce that construction on its long-awaited expansion project will soon begin! A. Secondino & Son, General Building Contractors, plan to break ground in April 2025.
The Pomfret Public Library Board of Trustees and Building Committee made the reluctant but necessary decision to forfeit our 2018 grant, reapply for a 2023 Public Library Construction Grant with a revised cost estimate, and raise additional matching funds as needed. This delay in construction was disappointing, but we are very excited to finally bring this building plan to fruition in 2025/2026.
We are very grateful for the widespread community support for this project and look forward to increasing our library services to the community in the near future.
Public libraries now provide services, resources and technology that didn’t exist when Pomfret Public Library was built! Lending books is still our stock-in-trade, but there is a new emphasis on group learning experiences, creativity, and community events that necessitates meeting room spaces, technology, equipment and furnishings.
The planned addition to Pomfret Public Library includes about 2000 sq. ft of meeting room space for groups of 8 to 60 people. This space will be available for programs and events sponsored by the library and by other community organizations.
Improvements include:
Lounge & café: space to relax or have a quiet conversation
Conference Room: business & board meetings, research, tutoring space
Great Room: meetings, concerts, classes, movies, lectures, poetry, workshops…
Activity Space: a Story Time/group play/Maker Space equipped for art, crafts, games, STEAM
Restrooms: two private, accessible, unisex family restrooms
Art gallery: current and retrospective exhibits of local talent
Patio: connecting the Great Room to the existing deck, gardens, and walking trail
Rooms available for booking after-hours: meeting space for local organizations, boards and clubs
Technology: all rooms fully equipped with computers, fiber internet, wifi, projection and sound
The Basics
- The town was awarded a grant of $1, 011,297 from the CT State Library in November 2023 that will cover half of the projected construction costs. The matching funds have been raised through donations and other grants.
- The addition will be to the south side of the library.
- The new space is designed for library programs, group meetings and activities. The existing space will remain much the same, but with improved access to the collections and with additional staff work space.
- Construction will begin in April 2025
- details of the building project
- how you can contribute