By Isaiah Gong ’27
Courtesy of the Sharon Public Library
After the opening of the new Sharon Public Library on May 19th, the future of Sharon’s current library on 11 North Main Street remains uncertain. Many “Sharonites” wonder what will happen to this building—central to the Sharon community, both literally and figuratively—once it is vacated in late June.
Built in 1914 and funded by businessman Andrew Carnegie, the library has been part of Sharon’s town center for more than a century and has created many lasting memories among Sharon residents. Librarian Amy Griel recalled that on one memorable day, “we had a wild animal show and I got to pet a kinkajou! I’ve also been able to teach teens all kinds of things, like crochet and circuitry.” However, in the past decade, it has become clear that the library no longer satisfies the needs of Sharon’s growing population. Finally, in 2019, the Sharon Standing Building Committee and the MBLC approved a schematic design for a new public library.
To evaluate possible future uses for the old library, the Select Board created a temporary seven-person Library Reuse Committee, which provides recommendations for the Select Board. In its 2019 proposal, the Reuse Committee concluded that the best way to maximize revenue generation and civic benefit would be to convert the front portion of the old library into a shared office space, reserve the back for a community space, and demolish the rest of the library. Under this plan, the town could benefit from more space for youth activities, workshops, and community groups.
The proposal also includes limitations to the library that could cause the building to look unattractive to tenants. Constraints that the Reuse committee considered include the lack of parking and limited septic system.
Even so, plans for the building are still up for debate. Last year, the Reuse Committee sought proposals from contractors for the redevelopment and rehabilitation of the former library for residential, commercial, or mixed-use purposes. Responses had to be in accordance with the Request for Proposals (RFP), which includes information on zoning, prices, and conditions for leasing. Since the Carnegie building will be leased to a third party, taxpayers likely won’t have to pay for the library’s redevelopment, as stated in the 2023 Sharon Select Board meeting.
In October of 2024, one proposal for the library came from the Sharon Forward Foundation, a nonprofit that aims to promote economic vitality in Sharon. The foundation wanted to transform the library into an arts and science center, equipped with a theater, business incubator, children’s space, multipurpose area, and cafe. However, the Reuse Committee turned down the proposal due to financial concerns. Additionally, the Historical Commission would not have approved of certain renovations in the proposal, and there had been no marketing research done about the need for a community theater.
While Sharon will undoubtedly benefit from a new library, community members will never forget the memories they made in the old building. Librarian Amy Griel said of the move, “It’s bittersweet. There are things I’ll miss, like the paintings all over the children’s room. But then I picture that brand new teen space with comfy chairs and new board games and I get really excited for the future.”
Sources:
https://www.townofsharon.net/home/library-reuse-committee
https://sharonpubliclibrary.org/Pages/Index/225303/new-library-for-sharon
Image:
Sharon Public Library. 1914. Web. 07 May 2025. <https://ark.digitalcommonwealth.org/ark:/50959/s4655z95k>.