Opinion By Farah Ameen

Inclusivity. Accessibility. Community. Equity. Diversity. These core values come to mind every time I pass 43 Amity Street and notice the building buzzing with activity. The historic renovation project is proceeding at a fast pace, with plans underway for library staff to move back into the building in Spring 2027!

I was excited to witness the incredible progress during a walkthrough of the construction site last month. While preserving the library’s historic 1928 woodwork and charm, the design team is successfully crafting a spacious, inclusive, welcoming facility to meet the growing needs of our diverse community. 

Yes, there is still some skepticism in town over the size of the building (due to MA Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) funding requirements), the cost (due to inflation resulting from 10+ years of opposition to the project), and whether 21st-century library library services are essential to towns anymore. But standing in the center of the building, it was clear to me that the design will serve our town’s needs beautifully going forward, and solve many of our community’s space shortages. 

Library Director Sharon Sharry and countless others—staff, town, councilors, volunteers, Friends of the Jones Library, Trustees, and our community—have worked tirelessly to make it all happen. And the staff’s excitement over the endless possibilities at the renovated building is contagious. Here are some of the features I can’t wait for the public to experience:

• Expanded children’s wing: The generous space, with clear sightlines, will allow young children room to play/explore safely while caregivers relax in a cozy space.
• Teen Lounge: This independent zone on the second floor is perfect for our teens to socialize, study, and hang out with their peers without adult interference. (My daughter sold lemonade to raise money—$178—for a proper teen space at the library when she was 6. She’s a junior at ARHS today, and pretty psyched that her early entrepreneurial efforts are paying it forward for our youth!) 
• Adult Library Services: The open-design second floor will also host Reference, Nonfiction, computers, quiet reading rooms, a copy center…providing a range of paper and digital resources in an inviting, comfortable environment.
• Designated ESL Spaces: Rooms specifically built for ESL classes and conversation circles feel like our community’s way of saying to our immigrant neighbors: “Welcome to America—we want you here!” 
• Public Meeting Rooms: Versatile community spaces will be available for local groups, workshops, civic gatherings, even celebrations of life after a funeral.
• Civil War Tablets Gallery: On the garden level is a room designed to honor and display our community’s historic Civil War tablets with the respect they deserve. 
• Gender-Inclusive Restrooms: Along with the gallery, this area will feature a restroom with eight private, tall stalls—partially funded by a recent state grant.
• Café Area: You don’t have to sneak in your muffin and coffee anymore. There’s an open zone for you to fuel up and connect with your neighbors.

In preparation for the library’s return to Amity Street, and to help cultivate a sense of true “belonging” in the space, the Library Board’s JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) subcommittee is hosting a series of community feedback sessions on September 9th, 16th, and 19th. We want to hear from you, so we can ensure that every person who enters the building feels the way we do—that the library is the ultimate community living room. 

On a more personal note: I continue to serve on the Jones Library Board of Trustees because I truly believe that the library is the most welcoming space in our town. It is a place where you are not judged or denied services because of your race, ethnicity, accent, social/economic circumstance, gender, ability, or age. Supporting the renovation-expansion project is my way of thanking the Jones Library (and, in turn, our town) for giving my family a safe space and community when we relocated to Amherst 16 years ago. I am extremely grateful to everyone who’s worked so hard on the project—one brick at a time. I can’t wait to see the doors open to our community next summer. 

Bangladeshi-American writer/editor Farah Ameen has lived in Amherst for 16 years. She’s a Jones Library Trustee and Chair of the JEDI subcommittee.