Library Open House

The Library has now re-opened in its temporary location, City Hall, 536 Dwight Street, Holyoke.

 You are Invited to the

Library Open House!

We've Finally Settled In!

The Library Board of Directors and Library Staff

Cordially Invite You to a

Special Open House

To Mark the Occasion of the Official Opening of the Holyoke Public Library

in its Temporary Home in the City Hall Auditorium

Monday, January 30, 2012

from 9:00AM to 11:00 AM

Ribbon Cutting – 9:30 AM

Lack of Heat Delays Library Reopening

With inside temperature in the Holyoke City Hall Auditorium hovering in the low to mid 50s, and efforts to remedy the situation still in process, a decision was made Monday afternoon (January 9) to delay the library’s reopening until Monday, January 23^rd.

During a mid-afternoon meeting in the Mayor’s office, attended by Mayor Alex Morse, key City Hall staff members, and Library representatives, the various issues concerning heating problems were reviewed. Alternative proposals were discussed and decisions made to provide a temporary portable heating system to meet immediate needs. Preliminary estimates indicate that this equipment can be installed during the next two weeks to enable the library to officially reopen with most regular library services operational.

“We appreciated the Mayor’s participation as well as his concerns for both working conditions (due to low temperatures), under which the library staff has been working , as well as his desire to have the library up and running, providing regular service to Holyoke patrons”, said Maria G. Pagan, Library Director.

“We are all on the same page regarding our objectives of restoring service as quickly as possible. The staff has been doing an exceptional job under very difficult conditions and other circumstances. With the aid and cooperation of Mayor Morse and other City Officials we are now well on our way to a workable solution to these difficulties and look forward to welcoming patrons to our temporary library”, she added.

Library move update

Professional movers (Sitterly) have been very busy moving books, furniture, and equipment from the 335 Maple Street building, which is now empty and ready for renovation.  The next step will be to unpack and get settled in City Hall, aiming to re-open the library as soon as possible. We anticipate a one-week delay. Public computers will not be available until after January 11. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Note:  The library’s History Room, currently in temporary quarters at Holyoke Community College, will be operating on a new schedule between January 3 and January 22:  9:00 AM to 4:00 PM weekdays, except closed on Wednesdays. Regular hours will resume January 23.

The library's online databases and services will continue to be available 24/7.

24/7 Library

The ELECTRONIC resources of the Holyoke Public Library are available all day, every day (24/7).

Electronic collections of HPL

While the physical Library is CLOSED (Dec 12-Jan 2) and the book collection is being moved to temporary locations in City Hall, you can still take advantage of the extensive online resources:

• Catalog of e-Books, e-Audiobooks, e-Videos.   Guide for new users.
• Databases for researching Jobs, Information, including hundreds of great articles in electronic format
• Reference resources
• State Digital Collections

No computer?   Visit the Gill Community Technology Center (inside the Picknelly Adult & Family Education Center), 206 Maple Street, Holyoke.   Look on schedule for Open sessions.

Don't know how to use a computer?  Attend free Computer Basics classes at the Gill Community Technology Center. To register, contact Melanie Diaz at the reception desk, 1st floor, or call 413-552-2990.

Moving Day Approaches

As of today, it appears that that Saturday, December 10, will be the last day that Holyoke Public Library will be open to the public prior to its move to temporary quarters at City Hall. Current plans call for the Library to resume service from the auditorium at City Hall on Monday, January 3, 2012. 

Patrons are advised that items which they have at the present time and are unable to return to the library by December 10, should be held by the patron until the Library is operating at City Hall in January. Those items will be automatically renewed without fines, and patrons will have until January 9 to return them to the temporary Library location. This procedure applies to all items with due dates of December 12 or later.

Items requested on reserve, or through Interlibrary Loans, that are received through December 10, can be picked up at the library’s Circulation desk. For requested items that have not  been received by December 10, please call the Library at 413-322-5640 for an update on the item.

All regular programs and activities offered by the library, including children’s story hours, game programs, etc., will be suspended during the period from Monday, December 12 through January 2 in order to complete the move from the Library’s location on Maple Street to its temporary home at City Hall. The actual move of Library materials will begin on Tuesday, December  12.

Current plans call for the Library to resume its regular schedule at City Hall starting January 3. Monday through Thursday the Library will be open from 8:30 AM to 8:30 PM, Friday and Saturday hours are 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM. For answers to any questions regarding programs, schedules, use of computers, or other information regarding the Library’s move to City Hall, please call 413-322-5640.

Grateful for Good Times

Happy Thanksgiving!  What a wonderful week of celebrations at the Holyoke Public Library!

Generations of descendants of early library donors and leaders gathered Sunday in the History Room for a special Heritage event hosted by the Library Capital Campaign.   

On Saturday evening Friends and guests enjoyed the Annual Cocktail Party with delicious food catered by the Holyoke Country Club and music by DJ Tony Pluta.

Two days before that party, on Thursday November 17, a celebratory Groundbreaking Ceremony drew a crowd outside the Library.

Patience Jackson (Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners) and Library Director María Pagán
celebrating this milestone in the Holyoke Public Library project,
on which both have worked for many years.

Groundbreaking for Library expansion!

Come to the Groundbreaking Ceremony Thursday November 17, 11:00am.   All welcome!  This will be a celebration of the Holyoke Public Library renovation/expansion project.

Among those participating in the event will be state and local officials as well as representatives of the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners,  the architectural firm Finegold Alexander & Associates, and Fontaine Brothers, Inc., the general contractors for the project.

Construction is about to begin.  During the construction phase, library services will be provided on the 3rd floor of City Hall.  The move from 335 Maple Street to City Hall will occur in the coming weeks, as soon as the spaces there are prepared.

Note the NEW look on the Library's website:   www.holyokelibrary.org

Holyoke Public Library

~ A LIBRARY IN A PARK ~