2.5 Story Glass-Skinned Addition $2 Million
A 30,000 square-foot building that houses spaces devoted to educating and inspiring lifelong learners and preparing the present and future generations for participation in our information and innovation economies.
New Building- Major Public Areas and Reading Rooms
Children’s Library $300,000
A 6,000 square-foot enclosed space where the puzzle pieces of children’s intellectual, social, and emotional development connect through exploration and imagination, creating a big picture of possibilities and bright futures for children from infancy through sixth grade.
Program Room $175,000
100 seats (theater-style) for 100 intellectually-curious minds, 100 students, 100 innovators, 100 writers, 100 artists, 100 makers, 100 scientists, 100 community members propelling Woburn forward culturally, civically, and economically. This gathering space comes complete with an overhead projector, drop-down screen, complete audio-visual integration, an assisted listening system, and picture rails for gallery displays.
Children’s Gallery $75,000
This multifunctional, flexible space serves as a cafe-like area by day and as a pre-/post-function area for Program-Room events or gallery space by night. It features a striking view of the Richardson’s exterior and a built-in bench from where one can view the detailed masonry up-close.
Teen Room $100,000
A third place for teens in between school and home, this enclosed space offers not only collections and services specific to this age group but also access to technology to bridge the digital divide and to gaming to hone spatial relations and inspire the next generation of graphic designers and programmers.
Reference Reading Hall $175,000
A space to explore our collection of resources on all subjects, receive assistance from a research professional, and admire up-close the architectural details where our national historic landmark meets our state-of-the-art addition with five portal connections between old and new.
East Reading Hall $125,000
This sun-filled space houses the library’s large-print collection due to its proximity to the main entrance and circulation area. Flanked by lounge seating, this area offers spectacular views of the exterior of the Richardson’s octagon room and a dramatic accent wall of Ohio sandstone used on the exterior of CBT’s addition, which has been procured from the same quarry as the sandstone on the Richardson.
Main Circulation Desk $50,000
The main circulation desk is not just for the retrieval and return of materials using cutting edge RFID software. It is where adult patrons go for reading recommendations from knowledgeable staff, where a sense of community in our busy world takes shape through friendly interactions, and where everyone knows your name.
Entrance/Main Lobby $50,000
Atop a grand granite staircase and generous landing, this entryway between the Richardson and CBT’s addition beckons one into the hive of activity beyond the doors. Its clean lines allow for contemplation of both buildings from this vantage point.
Administrative Suites (Director’s Offices) $100,000
This 3-office suite with entry vestibule houses the Director’s, Assistant Director’s, and Bookkeeper’s offices on the mezzanine. The Director’s office features the conserved large presentation flag from the ladies of Woburn to Woburn’s Company K, 39th Regiment, Massachusetts Volunteer Militia in 1862, while the other two rooms feature paintings from Charles Bowers Winn’s collection. Large windows offer the opportunity for oversight of the mezzanine and below as well as create a welcoming space for both staff and patrons.
Archives $200,000
Woburn’s rich history comes to life within the walls of this suite of spaces devoted to preserving rare documents, artifacts, and photographs.
Archives Reading Room $50,000
The only public-space in the Archives suite where community members of all ages can access texts, documents, and objects that tell the story of Woburn’s development over 375 years.
Glennon Collection Archives Room $50,000
This climate-controlled space holds rare collections, books, artifacts, and art for the purposes of both preservation and research.
Mezzanine Gallery $50,000
Take in the splendor of the Richardson building’s exterior masonry through the glass opposite this half-floor while appreciating the double-height beauty of the addition in this space devoted to quiet study and rotating displays of historic artifacts, documents, and photographs.
Richardson Building- Major Public Areas and Reading Rooms
Historic Artifacts Room $500,000
This light-filled gallery space, lined with original casework housing artifacts from Woburn’s 375-year history, closely resembles the room that greeted the library’s first visitors in 1879. Originally the ladies’ reading parlor in the late 1800s, this room then became the library’s first children’s room and finally the fiction collection room. Paintings from Charles Bowers Winn’s private collection are on display above the casework and protected from UV rays by filters on the sparkling ornate leaded windows. Akin to its original intent, this 49-seat (theater-style) room functions as a gathering space for meetings, presentations, and group study.
Gallery $300,000
Once a dedicated museum space devoted to the display of Charles Bowers Winn’s private art collection in 1879, this space served as the main circulation area for the last three decades. Displaying two tiers of Winn’s paintings on walls with the original paint color and housing the audiovisual collections, this room also features the elaborate octagonal table that once graced the ladies’ reading parlor (now the historic artifacts room). On the gallery’s north wall, there is a portal into the addition, acting as the only connection point on the building’s east end.
Frizzell Study Hall Alcoves $50,000 per alcove
Choose from eleven alcoves flanked by ornate pilasters with carvings that represent the flora found in the Arnold Arboretum. The design with the original shelves and brass handles transports one back to the libraries of England and France that served as Richardson’s inspiration. Kenneth Breisch, in his book about Richardson’s libraries, states, “[…] none of the [Richardson’s] later book rooms works quite so well as this space at Woburn.” The butternut has been lovingly restored, making each alcove radiate with warmth and beauty.
We are grateful for those individuals, families, and businesses who have already chosen to name a space. They are listed below.
Named Spaces
Rideout Family Story and Craft Room – Gift of Patty and Larry Rideout
This 30-seat enclosed space is where children’s burgeoning literacy, fine motor, spatial, and technology skills blossom through baby lapsit programs, interactive storytimes, craft workshops, and robotics and computer programming classes for young learners.
Helen T. O’Reilly Children’s Play Area – Gift of The O’Reilly Family
Appointed with oversized puzzle piece ottomans and activity rockers set atop a plush rug, this comfortable nook is meant for reading, playing, and interaction with the magnetic whiteboard wall. With magnificent views of the Richardson’s exterior at the Frizzell Study Hall end, this sun-filled space also overlooks the children’s garden, making it perfect for daydreamers, too.
Cliff Wing Children’s Picture Book Nook – Gift of John and Michelle Kelley
Stanley Gillespie Children’s Circulation Desk – Gift of the O. Stanley Gillespie Family
Not only is this space a hive of activity with check-ins and check-outs, astute reading recommendations, and professional research assistance, it is where children experience the rite of passage of applying for and receiving their first library card. The friendly, caring engagement of staff at this desk cultivates lifelong readers and lifelong learners.
Jones Family Maker Space – Gift of the Jones Family
With room for 18 creators, makers, entrepreneurs, and techies, this space is the hub of technology exploration for all ages. Receive individualized technology assistance from library staff. Make a prototype of a product on one of two 3D printers. Design and carve a logo for a new endeavor using the laser cutter. Learn, or refresh knowledge of, Python, SQL, or the next new programming language at a master class taught by an expert. Participate in workshops and challenges with snap circuits, k’nex, legos, littlebits, and robotics.
Brady Family New Book Alcove – Gift of Patricia A. and Daniel J. Brady, Jr.
With comfortable lounge seating, this alcove is the perfect place to peruse the nearby new additions to our collection. It is also home to our cutting-edge laptop vending machine, allowing patrons to utilize technology in any public space throughout the Richardson and CBT’s addition.
Quiet Study Rooms
Libraries of today are hubs of active learning, collaboration, and community gathering, making quiet studies a cherished sanctuary for those who need complete quiet to concentrate to those who wish to work in a group without disturbing others. These rooms, which each comfortably hold four patrons, cater to a variety of studying preferences.
Ann M. Mooney Quiet Study Room – Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Kevin P. Mooney IMO Ann M. Mooney
Maguire Family Quiet Study Room – Gift of Robert and Karen Maguire
Winchester Savings Bank Quiet Study Room – Gift of Winchester Savings Bank
Richardson Galleries North and South
Warm up next to the fire on one of two Richardson-inspired red-leather, built-in benches, or peruse one of the many periodicals housed nearby while sitting in an elegant wingback chair. The library’s sole source of heat during the 1903 coal shortage and World War I, the fireplace has not only served as a beautiful centerpiece to this room. This space also features an original Richardson table for group or individual study, which was the primary use of the room upon its opening in 1879.
Richardson Gallery North – Gift of Robert Schaffino
Richardson Gallery South – Gift of the Griffin Family, in Memory of Stephen J. Griffin
Woburn Historic Display Cases
Returning to the perimeter of the historic artifacts room and to public view, these original cases once housed the John Cummings natural history collection when in the ladies’ reading parlor. In 1914, they were transported to the attic, where they stood holding historic artifacts until 2017. The front of each case has been carefully restored and retains the airtight seal from when George Fowle, a master carpenter who built several of Arlington Road’s most lovely homes, made them. Updates to the interiors have been made for preservation of the artifacts they house. Each case holds a specific permanent exhibit: See the Historic Artifacts (Octagon) Room Display Case Descriptions document.
Woburn History Display Case A: Section 1 -Settlement of Woburn, Section 2 – Domestic Industries and Historic Houses – Gift of the Seitz Family
Woburn History Display Case B: Colonial Kitchen – Gift in Honor of Edward J. “Ned”, Kathryn I. “Kay” Cantillon, Jr. and Family
Woburn History Display Case C: Revolutionary War, Middlesex Canal-Gift of the O. Stanley Gillespie Family
Woburn History Display Case D: Section 1 – Taverns and Temperance, Section 2 – Shoemaking, Tanneries, Businesses, and Farms – Gift of the Keleher, O’Doherty, and Mozaffar Family
Woburn History Display Case E: Section 1 and 2 – Civil War – Gift of James J. and Judith Johnson Foley, in Honor of Dexter B. Johnson, former WPL Director
Woburn History Display Case F: Section 1 – Civil War and G.A.R., Section 2 – Woburn Fire Department – Gift of Winchester Co-operative Bank
Woburn History Display Case G: The Woburn Police Department, Admiral Parks, and World War I, Recreation, Woburn Bands and Woburn People – Gift of the Mayor Robert and Elaine Dever Family
Richardson Tables (4)
These tables designed by H. H. Richardson have served generations of students and lifelong learners since the library’s opening day in 1879. The worn, warm wooden tops and intricately carved spindle legs will be carefully restored. The tops will be covered by glass specially crafted to enhance and protect each table’s beauty. These well-designed and durable masterpieces will continue to serve for generations to come and be physical reminders of the library’s rich and storied past.
Richardson Tables (1) – Gift of the Woburn Middlesex Lions Club
Richardson Tables (2) – Gift of the Bill Collins Foundation
Richardson Tables (3) – Gift of the Kelley Family, in Memory of Walter and Helen Kelley
Richardson Tables (4) – Gift of the Mayor Robert and Elaine Dever Family, in Honor of Mayor Robert Dever and Elaine Dever
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