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Public Library Construction

Overview

The Uxbridge Free Public Library is planning for the future while preserving one of our community’s most treasured historic landmarks. Through the Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program (MPLCP), the Town of Uxbridge is advancing a renovation and expansion project that will transform our 130-year-old building into a fully accessible and modern public space designed to serve residents for generations to come.

In January 2025, the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) approved Uxbridge’s application to the library construction program and awarded Uxbridge a $100,000 Planning and Design Grant, recognizing the community’s need for an accessible library that can meet the evolving needs of residents today and future generations. Throughout 2025, the Town, with the support of the Library Building Committee, completed an extensive planning and design process that included the selection of an Owner’s Project Manager and architectural team, public engagement, site analysis, schematic design, and submission of the project’s Level of Design to the MBLC.

The project is currently on the MPLCP construction grant waitlist. As construction funding becomes available through the Commonwealth, anticipated for Spring 2028, Uxbridge will become eligible to move forward with the next phase of the project. Once moving off the waitlist, the Town will have approximately six months to secure local funding before a construction grant can be awarded.

A renovated and expanded library will breathe new life into a cherished historic landmark while ensuring full accessibility, modern infrastructure, and flexible, welcoming spaces that meet the evolving needs of our community. By honoring our building’s legacy and thoughtfully enhancing its footprint, the project will create a vibrant community center that strengthens connection, learning, and activity in the heart of downtown Uxbridge.

One message has been clear from Uxbridge residents

the Library is more than a repository of books. It is a vital community center, a hub for connection, and a source of inspiration for lifelong learning. However, the Library’s ability to meet the evolving needs of our residents is limited by the building’s existing footprint and, most notably, its lack of accessibility.

Six numbered boxes list library features—Accessibility, Programming Spaces, Meeting and Study Spaces, Social & Lounge Spaces, Expanded Youth and Teen Spaces, Private Staff Workspaces—next to a photo of a historic library building.

A future library project must prioritize: Accessibility for All, Functionality for 21st- Century Library Services, and Infrastructure Improvements

A Vision for the Library

Our community wants the library to:

  • Be fully accessible to residents regardless of age or ability
  • Highlight the existing building’s history and unique architectural style
  • Provide flexible, multi-use spaces that can adapt as community needs change
  • Provide convenient and accessible parking
  • Offer a meeting space for library events and community groups, available outside of library hours
  • Increase physical collection space for all ages, primarily for books
  • Offer small private meeting/study rooms, quiet spaces, and collaborative creative spaces
  • Provide a larger and more open children’s space for play, programming, and socialization
  • Offer spaces for patrons of all ages to spend extended time with comfortable seating and abundant natural light 
  • Improve existing HVAC, electrical, and technological infrastructure — notably, the Library’s top floor is not climate-controlled

Click here to access the MPLCP Level of Design architectural drawings, approved by the MBLC in February 2026.

Helpful Links

Facility Conditions Assessment (forthcoming)