Schwartz/Silver was engaged to design a new public library for the Town of Montague, MA. The task was to design a new building that fit seamlessly with the existing neighborhood context along Avenue A in Montague, which consists of primarily two and three-story brick masonry buildings with storefront entrances at grade, punched windows, and flat roofs.

The proposed two-story design features adult collections, quiet study rooms, a local history room, reading room, business center, staff workroom, director’s office, and mail room, as well as the circulation desk and public access on the main floor. The second floor includes programming for childrens’ and teen rooms, community/multipurpose room and adjacent kitchen, and an upper lobby/gallery/booksale space, as well as a staff break room, offices, and various storage rooms. The upper level also provides access to the usable roof terrace with seating, tables, and the potential for raised planting beds and space for community programming.