Ahead of expansion, Winooski library aims to be city’s ‘welcome mat’

The inside of the Winooski Memorial Library. Photo by Dylan Streb

The shelves in Winooski Memorial Library boast books in English — and Swahili and Spanish and a host of other languages. Rather than being a place of “shhh” or “quiet down,” the small space on Malletts Bay Avenue hosts Pokemon tournaments. 

Winooski is the most diverse community in Vermont, and as its library moves toward a planned expansion next March, its staff is attempting to reflect that diversity and be a more inviting place through loosening and revising its policies. 

“I’ve been here about three years,” said Nate Eddy, library director. “And since then we’ve been diving into our policies. A lot of library policies, and policies in general, start with ‘no’ statements — ‘you shouldn’t’ or ‘you’re not allowed’ to do something — and it’s just not very welcoming or inclusive language for people.” 

Since then, the library has since focused on creating expectations to uphold, rather than actions not to do. 

“We do not charge late fees for our materials,” said Eddy. “Library cards are free for anyone who lives, works, goes to school or pays taxes in Winooski. If someone was to come in who might be unhoused or just visiting, but are in Winooski, we issue them temporary cards with borrowing rights. We are also open on weekends and evenings.”

The other policies at the library focus on the books themselves and how they are chosen — with an emphasis on matching its offerings to the makeup of the city. 

“There are guidelines within that collection development policy that we follow,” Eddy said. “It has to reflect the interest of the community, be very topical in the news right now or be a very popular read. Multilingual books, books that show characters of color and their lived experiences, books that highlight disabilities, books that highlight LGBTQ characters.” 

“We want anyone who walks through our door to see themselves within the pages of those books.” 

Library staff also want young people to see themselves as having a voice in decisions. The library’s leadership committee has a seat for a Winooski high schooler.

“You’d serve for a nine month term, and then following completion, you would receive a scholarship for serving,” Eddy said. “We are very intentional in saying that a youth member would be on the same level as any other member. So they would be able to vote, bring things to the table, have an equal voice.”

This year has been the first with a young person on the committee — Taliah Bennett, a student in the city school district. “She brings a youth perspective to the library and a new voice,” said Eddy. “I think we’re the first committee or commission in Winooski to have a youth member.”

City Councilor Aurora Hurd, a member of Winooski’s Inclusion and Belonging Commission, expressed appreciation for the library’s steps.  

“Libraries are community focal points,” Hurd said. “It’s sometimes the first introduction residents have to the city itself and the city government. It’s important that it welcomes all folks, has programming for all folks, and that it’s meeting community needs.”

“My house is right near the library, so I get to see folks coming and going,” Hurd said. “I can see the joy when it is open and sometimes, when we’ve had to close it due to staffing, how disappointed people are.”

Changes are coming. The library takes up a small space in the O’Brien Community Center, which the city is redeveloping with the Champlain Housing Trust. The project, set to start March 2025, will expand the library from about 2,000 square feet to 6,000 square feet, according to a grant proposal.

About $4.6 million of the $17.6 million for the project are going toward the new library. Along with the extra leg room, the plan is to bring in high-speed internet and build meeting and study rooms. 

With renovations on the horizon, library leaders say they want citizens’ input on how to use the extra space. Eddy said the library is thinking about holding public forums about activities and design.

“We’re really like the welcome mat to Winooski,” he said. “We want to hear from all of the communities and stakeholders in Winooski.”