AMHERST — Exactly two months after closing the 43 Amity St. location to the public to make way for an expansion and renovation project, the Jones Library reopened this week at a temporary site at 101 University Drive.
Patrons are now welcomed into the Slobody Building, where the library will be operating from about 19,000 square feet, on both the first and second floors. Almost all services people are accustomed to at the Jones will be available there.
Library Director Sharon Sharry, in an email, said that staff are looking forward to welcoming the public again, after recently focusing on moving materials and preparing the new space.
“We really think patrons will love the new environment that Jones staff have created,” Sharry said.
The $46.1 million project will bring the Jones from 48,000 square feet to 63,000 square feet. But unlike when the addition was completed in the early 1990s, operations aren’t remaining on site.
On the first floor of the temporary space, patrons will find the children’s room, also known as Suite A4. On the second floor, or Suite B1, will be the adult circulation and holds pickup, reference and public internet computers, the teen collection and the English as a Second Language tutor rooms and collection. This is also where special collections, or the local history archives, will be located.
Sharry said the building has all the necessary technology, with town IT staff and the University of Massachusetts extending fiber lines. Already, the staff network is up and running, so books can be checked out, with the hope that the public network will be ready for Monday for the public internet computers, Sharry said.
There are some limitations, though. While the children’s room has a small storytime space, regular programming will be at other locations, including both the North Amherst and Munson Memorial branches. There is also the need to keep some of the adult collection off site due to its size, though the other collections, children’s, teens and ESL, will all be fully available for browsing.
Sharry said those who don’t see a book on the shelves can request that librarians get it.
The Jones collection becomes “holdable” starting Friday, with pick-ups to be transferred back to the Jones on Monday, and those who had been automatically assigned to Munson as their default pick up location will revert back to the Jones.
The book drop reopens Monday, as well.
A major change from normal times comes at special collections, which will resume operations a day later, though this space will be available only by appointment.
“Due to limited space in our reading room, only one researcher can be accommodated at any time, and we ask that patrons let us know what they are researching so we can have materials ready for their visit,” said Katherine Whitcomb, head of special collections.
Researchers can make an appointment through the library website at https://www.joneslibrary.org/475/Visit or by contacting the department at 413-259-3097 or specialcollections@joneslibrary.org.
Library services at both the North Amherst and Munson Memorial branches remain 20 hours per week.
Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.