We were asked a lot of great questions at the public forums on the building renovation and wanted to take the time to answer some of them more in-depth in a series of articles. There was a lot of confusion surrounding the workings of the MBLC grant, so let’s start there!
Why can’t the MBLC grant be applied to the Renovation costs?
The $9M MBLC construction grant was only for construction of a new Library building, and could not be used for any other purpose. Since the vote to appropriate funds for a new Library building failed at Fall Town Meeting 2023, the funds are no longer available to the Town of Lynnfield.
As you may recall, the Lynnfield Public Library Board of Library Trustees applied for a grant with the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) in 2017. The grant application contained specific requirements for the use of the grant money, including conceptual designs, a specific site for the new building, and estimated costs. These were all determined after the creation of a Library Building Program, which documented the needs and wants of the Lynnfield community for the library.
While certain recommended improvements have carried over to the Renovation project (such as the need for private meeting space, inadequate space for children and teens, insufficient seating, and better acoustics in the Main Reading Room), the MBLC funds available as part of the 2017 grant are no longer available and cannot be applied to any renovation costs.
Could we apply for a new MBLC grant for the Renovation?
Yes, but:
- It would take years before we would see new construction. The next grant round should begin in 2027-28 at the earliest, for construction projects that would begin no earlier than 2031. The Town feels that several of the issues with the current building (no sprinklers in the Main Reading Room, water damage issues, need for a new roof, etc) cannot wait years to repair.
- The MBLC has revised their grant process since 2017, and it is now a much more competitive process.
- The grant process requires municipalities to submit two potential sites for the Library. As of today there has been no discussion of a different permanent location for the Library.
- The MBLC now rates municipalities on a “need factor” based on data such as the Department of Revenue’s equalized valuation and income per capita, which is added onto the independent reviewers’ score of the application. The MBLC has indicated that Lynnfield’s need factor is relatively low compared to other communities who would be eligible for future grants.
- We applied to renovate the current building in 2001 and were turned down, due to a number of factors concerning the site of the building.
Why not just re-apply to the MBLC to build a new Library building at Reedy Meadow?
Applying for a new Library building would require the Town of Lynnfield to start the process from scratch, which would include:
- Designing a new building (and any associated costs for design)
- Locating and proposing two potential sites for construction
- Estimating the cost for construction, and developing a funding scenario
- Developing a new Library Building Program
- Providing a number of municipal documents, such as a Capital Improvement Plan
- Applying for a grant round (currently expected to be 2027-28)
Regarding Reedy Meadow – since the vote for Article 11 (to transfer the Reedy Meadow land to the Trustees) failed at Fall Town Meeting in 2023, ownership of the plot of land reverted back to the Town of Lynnfield. To date there has been no discussion about using the land for construction of any kind.