Potential upgrades for the Henry Carter Hull Library (HCH) are one step closer to fruition after the Town Council voted on Feb. 21 to spend $14,000 of the town’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money to fund a study, contingent on the library spending the same amount to hire an architect.

The idea for potential upgrades to the library was first discussed in a workshop between library representatives and the Town Council on Sept. 20, 2023. At the time, HCH Library Director Maribeth Breen told the council that the library wasn’t interested in new buildings or additions but instead was looking to increase the study rooms, rework the entranceway, increase signage, and add community space.

In October of 2023, the Town Council agreed to submit a Request for Proposal (RFP) to get cost estimates for the potential upgrades. At the Town Council meeting on Feb. 21, the council unanimously voted to fund a study of the library for $14,000 if the library would also contribute $14,000 to hire an architect.

The town’s portion will come from ARPA money previously slated for replacing the bathhouse at the town beach. The funds were originally going to be taken from a line item earmarked for replacing the turf at the Indian River Recreational Complex, but the council decided to instead take the money from the bathhouse after it was argued the turf replacement fund might need the funds after all. The funds will instead be placed in a line item called library upgrades.

Breen said the next step will be to contract with QA + M Architecture for schematic designs. According to Breen, the town received six responses to the RFP but the QA + M proposal stood out. Prior to former Town Manager Karl Kilduff’s final day with the town, he sat down with Breen, HCH Library Board of Trustees President Rich Santanelli, and a representative from QA&M and agreed the firm would be a good fit.

Moved to its current location in 1998, the Henry Carter Hull Library is one of the most popular facilities in Clinton. In 2022 alone, the library saw 23,000 people attend programs there. Despite some modest upgrades over the years since the move, Breen said the library could still use more changes.

In explaining why the library was interested in potential upgrades, Breen said that, since the COVID-19 pandemic, the way people use libraries has changed.

“Libraries have seen a dramatic uptick in meeting room usage and program attendance. We seem to always be scrambling to find rooms for small meetings, study groups, and work-from-home patrons. As new community members come to the building for meetings or to register for a library card, we notice that our entryway can be confusing. We direct people to the second floor, and their first question is, ‘Where are the stairs?’ Folks walk in and go straight into the community room as it’s not clear where the main entrance to the library interior is,” Breen said last year.

Two different community surveys — one conducted before the COVID-19 pandemic and one post-pandemic — showed a desire for increased community space and programming needs.

However, Breen also acknowledged that the building and its layout are now a bit dated.

“It hasn’t caught up with modern-day library uses,” Breen said.

The library has been in its current location since 1998, and while some upgrades have been made to the children’s room and the teen room, Breen said those changes were made without using taxpayer dollars.

“The board is not looking for a new building or an addition, just some interior changes to enable the building to assist and reflect the way it’s being used today and be ready for the future,” Breen said last year.