THINK AGAIN

hink Again Behind the transformation of the Providence Public Library T

| By Robert Isenberg

Photography by Nick DelGiudice

Oh, what a little light can do. If you ever walked down Empire Street at night, you understand. New lamps now shine from the walls of the Providence Public Library, brightening the pavement. New bulbs, embedded in the sidewalk, now glow underfoot. Despite the sca!olding and partitions, the library looks fresher, newer. Junk has been cleared away from the high windows; ancient plants no longer decay in the transom. Slowly, the building is returning to life.

For a year and a half, the PPL has been walled o!, a mysterious renovation project in the heart of Downcity. You could still visit and borrow books, but all you’d see was a single room, a ring of shelves, and tables crowded with patrons. Here and there, passersby have caught hints of progress. But when it reopens at the end of March, the state’s largest library will burst from its chrysalis, and visitors will witness the full metamorphosis within.

“The library was basically built to be a giant book repository in 1953,” says Jack Martin, executive director of PPL. “It desperately needed a renovation. It got to a point where we said, ‘We have to do this. What else are we going to do? The building is unusable.’”

Costing about $26 million, the project is far more than a makeover. The “front” of the building, a beige monolith etched in art-deco patterns, looks roughly the same as before, but the inner layers are thoroughly gutted. Workers have busily rehabilitated 83,000 square

It could be a beautiful, light-filled, open-source, living university for the public in downtown Providence.

- Jack Martin, Executive Director of PPL

feet from the ground up. Cramped little o"ces have been ripped open; reconfigured rooms are spacious and bright. The cavernous entrance will soon become a grand atrium, with smooth walls, a graceful staircase, and a second-floor circulation desk. Landings and windows will a!ord views of the Providence skyline that were, until recently, unimaginable. Soon, the library will become a destination – not just for borrowing books, but for socializing, entertainment, refreshment, hands-on education, and just spending idle hours downtown. At last, PPL promises to reach its full potential, as a busy nexus of civic life.

A Fraught History

The Providence Public Library, recently rebranded “PPL,” is a major landmark in Rhode Island, but it’s also a long-su!ering one, the victim of strange decisions and general neglect since the middle of the last century.

The original library is a magisterial building of arched windows and stone balustrades, which still stands proudly between Washington and Fountain Streets. The project was constructed in stages, funded largely by antiquarian John Nicholas Brown I. Within, the Grand Hall and Ship Room look frozen in time; the antique pillars and sconces make this space a popular location for weddings.

But times changed, as did aesthetic tastes. In 1953, the library added a new wing – really, a whole new building. The modernist architecture contrasted sharply with its Renaissance-style predecessor.

“It was actually built out an additional 20 feet,” says Martin, “to block any views of the 1900 building from downtown Providence, because the [original architecture] was not considered to be in vogue in 1953. This was supposed to be the library’s bold, new, modern statement. Even when you went downstairs, most of the doors were blocked off to get to the old building. There was an urge to forget.”

The bad feng shui only worsened from there. The children’s collection moved to one room, then another. In the 1980s, the two buildings were finally connected through a makeshift passageway. Drop ceilings and fluorescent lights were ambivalently installed. New mezzanines blocked natural vistas. Solo bathrooms became infamous rendezvous points. The auditorium – with seats for nearly 300 people – was forgotten by the general public. Since its founding, the outer walls of the new library had never once been washed.

Adding to its woes was a messy divorce, between the Providence Public Library and the city’s library system, in 2009. To summarize a long and bureaucratic story, PPL became an autonomous entity, leaving a wake of controversy and hurt feelings. Martin and his sta! have worked hard to repair these relationships, and he is proud of the new and mended partnerships of the past decade. But at the time, the library was alone, at odds with the city, with an ugly, outdated facility. The strange layout became a metaphor for the institution as a whole.

“It’s always been a labyrinth,” Martin concludes. “Everyone used to complain how lost they would get. Everybody would ask, ‘Where are the books?’”

It all started with renovations to the first building, back in 2012, when the Grand Hall and Ship Room were returned to their original luster. Although the old design appears intact, it’s received plenty of work over the years: Stone circles in the floor indicate where spiral staircases once stood. Windows have been ruined and reinstalled. As the Edwardian style turned fashionable again, the library became a destination for banquets and events. But soon, administrators faced a new challenge: stricter fire codes.

“Fire protection means tearing down walls, installing sprinklers, installing alarms, everything,” says Martin. When he joined PPL as executive director six years ago, Martin inherited a $3.5 million bill for the new infrastructure.

Meanwhile, the board had hoped to expand its educational o!erings. PPL o!ers a variety of classes, and the library has a strong partnership with Roger Williams University; local students can take courses in web design and data navigation for college credit. Enrollment is competitive, and PPL had a need for classrooms that matched the curricula. Gradually, the solution started to look much bigger. Historic photo of the library from archives

Photo courtesy of Providence Public Library Photograph Collection

“Instead of installing sprinklers in a building that we already didn’t like,” recalls Martin, “we could just reimagine the library to better fit the new strategic plan. It could be a beautiful, light-filled, open-source, living university for the public in downtown Providence.”

The full renovation has been five years in the making, depending on how you look at it. Over the course of its THINK AGAIN capital campaign, PPL has forged many partnerships and gathered an army of supporters. PPL received $9.2 from the state, a $1 million leadership gift from Rosalynd Sinclair, $4.2 in equity from New Market Tax Credits – a federal program – $200,000 from RISCA to renovate the auditorium, and $400,000 from the National Endowment for the Humanities, among countless other donations and gifts. A full $1,250,000 came from the Champlin Foundation, which had also helped with previous renovations. The plans were drafted by designLAB, a Boston-based firm, but additional help came from architecture students at RWU, which incorporated the library’s design into its master’s curriculum.

PPL houses more than a million books, and the brunt of these had to be stored remotely – in a facility in Connecticut – during the heaviest construction. Yet the shelving units will remain, unchanged, since most bookcases are fused to the library’s superstructure. The stacks may have been hard for patrons to find, but they’re as intractable as the building’s foundation.

Architectural rendering courtesy of designLAB architects

IMPORTANT DATES March 30: O!cial Ribbon Cutting April 1: Exhibition & Program Series Opening, 6-8pm April 4: Grand Reopening Open House, 10am-5pm

There’s no telling how many times Martin has toured the construction site, showing visitors what the new library will look like. During our visit, Martin shows off fresh sheetrock, new carpet, and clear glass windows. Soon, visitors can return books to an automated book depository and watch their volumes ride down a conveyor belt. A whole corner of the library will be dedicated to a cafe or restaurant; at press time, PPL was still courting potential vendors. Martin shows off the spacious “teen room,” a commonplace at other libraries that has never before existed at PPL.

Such massive, public, heated spaces are rare in downtown Providence, and patrons will have to see the library in person to understand its full grandeur. Martin moves from one room to another, holding up printed renderings, to indicate what these dusty walls and sheets of plastic will soon look like. There is an unspoken feeling – that the makeover won’t just restore a bygone glory, but create something altogether new. As Martin puts it: “We’re trying to accomplish a lot.”

A man looking over the renovations of the Grand Hall of the Providence Public Library. He stands between the railing of the balcony of the Grand Hall and a wall of fiberglass that is enclosed in plastic.

Not Just Books On top of its million volumes, PPL is home to a range of special collections

The PPL has a vast trove of books, and it’s connected to the Ocean State Library System, which means you can order or hold just about any title in the state. But PPL also houses a range of special and one-of-a-kind artifacts. Here are some of our favorites, and just a sample of what’s available.

Checkers and Whist Collection Yes, it sounds like a law firm, but Whist is a card game and checkers is, well, checkers. Thanks to two avid players, you can find more than 500 handbooks on each pastime.

Photo courtesy of Providence Public Library Photograph Collection Edith Wetmore Collection of Children’s Books Yes, there’s the actual children’s room, as well as the new teen room (see story), but many of these 1,850 books date back to the Renaissance and include a first edition of Peter Rabbit.

Nicholson Whaling Collection Open one of 800 logbooks, and journey with whaling crews around the world on more than 1,000 documented voyages. This is believed to be the largest archive of such logbooks outside of New Bedford.

Percival Magic Collection Want to see a trick? Voila! Some 1,200 handbooks and ephemera on the subject of illusionism, thanks to local magician John H. Percival.

World War I and II Propaganda Collection How did nations spur their youths into military recruitment? This stirring assembly of posters and pamphlets is a rich pictorial history of nationalism.

[WE PLEDGE] [THE BLACKSTONE TEAM]

• TO NEVER REPRESENT BOTH SIDES OF THE TRANSACTION (DOUBLE END) • TO LOBBY LOCALLY AND NATIONALLY AGAINST THE PRACTICE OF DUAL FACILITATION • TO NEVER PROMOTE PERSONAL FINANCIAL SUCCESSES OR SALES PRODUCTION • TO NEVER CHOOSE OUR BEST INTERESTS OVER OUR CLIENTS’ BEST INTERESTS • TO NEVER DISPARAGE OUR FELLOW REALTORS® PUBLICLY OR PRIVATELY

Each O!ce Independently Owned and Operated.

134 Collaborative A Leadership Journey A Sweet Creation Youth Organization Academy for Career Exploration ACE Mentor Program of RI ACLU Foundation of Rhode Island Adoption RI African Alliance of RI AIDS Care Ocean State Aldersbridge Communities Alzheimer’s Association RI Chapter Amenity Aid Amos House Art Connection- Rhode Island AS220 Audubon Society of Rhode Island Autism Project Avenue Concept Barrington Farm School Be The Change/Project Hand Up Beachwood Center for Wellbeing Beat the Streets Providence Beautiful Day Best Buddies Rhode Island Better Lives Rhode Island Big Brothers Big Sisters of Rhode Island Blackstone Academy Charter School Books Are Wings Boys & Girls Club of Pawtucket Boys & Girls Clubs of Newport County Boys & Girls Clubs of Providence Boys & Girls Clubs of Warwick Boys Town New England Bradley Hospital Foundation Brandon M Austin Memorial Fund Camp JORI Center for Leadership and Educational Equity Center for Mediation and Collaboration Rhode Island Center For Reconciliation Center for Sexual Pleasure and Health Center for Southeast Asians Charles Annette Redeemed Empowerment (CARE) Scholarship Foundation Child & Family Childhood Lead Action Project Children’s Friend Children’s Wish RI Choral Collective of Newport County Chorus of Westerly CHS Chorus Parent Association City Year Providence Clean Ocean Access Collaborative, The College Crusade College Unbound College Visions Community Action Partnership of Providence Community Care Alliance Community Provider Network of Rhode Island Comprehensive Community Action Program (CCAP) Confetti Foundation Crossroads Rhode Island Cuddles Of Hope Foundation Cumberland School Volunteers, Inc. DARE (Direct Action for Rights and Equality) Dare to Dream Ranch, Inc. Day One DESIGNxRI Diversity Talks Domestic Violence Resource Center of South County Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island Down Syndrome Society of Rhode Island Dress for Success Providence East Bay Community Action Program East Bay Food Pantry Edesia Nutrition Elisha Project Elizabeth Buffum Chace Center Empowerment Factory Epilepsy Foundation New England Esperanza-Hope Farm Fresh Rhode Island Federal Hill House Festival Ballet Providence FirstWorks Flickers Arts Collaborative Foster Forward Friends of Animals in Need Friends of the Barrington Public Library Friends Way Gallery Night Providence, Inc. Gamm Theatre Garden Time Genesis Center Girl Scouts of Southeastern New England Girls on the Run Rhode Island Girls Rock! RI Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer Resource Foundation Gnome Surf Goodwill of Southern New England Gotta Have Sole Foundation, Inc. Grantmakers Council of Rhode Island Greater Warwick Lions Club Groden Network Groundwork Rhode Island Grow Smart RI Haitian Project Health Help Ministry Inc. Hera Educational Foundation, Inc. Herren Project Herreshoff Marine Museum Higher Ground International NGO Highlander Charter School Highlander Institute Historic Metcalf Franklin Farm Holy Family Home for Mothers and Children Hope & Main Hope Alzheimer’s Center Hope Funds for Cancer Research Hope’s Harvest RI House of Hope Community Development Corporation Housing Network of Rhode Island -QQYRI(IƼGMIRG]*SYRHEXMSR IN-SIGHT Inspiring Minds Interfaith Counseling Center International Tennis Hall of Fame Island Moving Company Jamestown Arts Center Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island John Hope Settlement House Jonnycake Center of Peace Dale Jonnycake Center of Westerly Judy’s Kindness Kitchen Junior Achievement of Rhode Island Just A.S.K.(Aphasia Stroke Knowledge) JustLeadershipUSA Ladies Climbing Coalition Latino Policy Institute Leadership Rhode Island Lifespan Foundation Lighthouse Community Development Corporation Lights & Sirens International Literacy Volunteers of Washington County Man Up, Inc. Manton Avenue Project March of Dimes Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center McAuley Ministries Meeting Street Mental Health Association of Rhode Island MINI’s Making A Difference Miriam Hospital Foundation Mount Hope Farm Music on the Hill Narragansett Council, Boy Scouts of America Narrow River Preservation Association NeighborWorks Blackstone River Valley New England Humane Society New Urban Arts Newport Hospital Foundation, Inc. Newport Mental Health Newport Restoration Foundation newportFILM Nonviolence Institute Norman Bird Sanctuary Northern Rhode Island Food Pantry Oasis International Ocean State Montessori School Ocean Tides Oliver Hazard Perry Rhode Island ONE Neighborhood Builders Operation Stand Down Rhode Island Partnership for Providence Parks Paul Cuffee School Paws Watch Pawtucket Central Falls Development Pawtucket Soup Kitchen Phoenix Houses of New England, Inc. Planned Parenthood of Southern New England Potter League for Animals Project Broken Wheel Foundation Project GOAL Inc. Project Undercover, Inc. Prout School Providence ¡CityArts! for Youth Providence Animal Rescue League Providence Community Library Providence Gay Flag Football League Providence Public Library Providence Singers RAMP - Real Access Motivates Progress Reach Out and Read Rhode Island Recycle-a-Bike Residents United for Furry Friends Rhode Island and Providence Roller Derby Rhode Island Aviation Hall of Fame, Inc. Rhode Island Black Storytellers (RIBS) Rhode Island Center for Justice Rhode Island Chapter of the Pink Heals Tour, Inc.

www.401gives.org

Rhode Island Coalition for the Homeless Rhode Island Community Food Bank Rhode Island Council for the Humanities Rhode Island Environmental Education Association Rhode Island for Community and Justice Rhode Island Free Clinic Rhode Island Hospital Foundation Rhode Island Latino Arts Rhode Island Parent Information Network Rhode Island Polonia Scholarship Foundation Rhode Island School for Progressive Education Rhode Island SPCA Rhode Island Tutorial & Educational Services Rhode Island Write on Sports Rhode Island Youth Theatre Rhode Islanders Sponsoring Education RI Healthy Schools Coalition RI Public Health Institute RI Zoological Society/Roger Williams Park Zoo Riverzedge Arts Rocky Hill Country Day School Ronald McDonald House Charities of New England S.A.L.T.Y. (Seamanship & Leadership Training for Youths) Sail Newport Sail To Prevail Salgi Esophageal Cancer Research Foundation Save One Soul Animal Rescue League Science & Math Investigative Learning Experiences SMILE Program Shri Service Corps Smith’s Castle Social Enterprise Greenhouse Sojourner House Sophia Academy South County Habitat for Humanity South Kingstown Land Trust South Kingstown Wellness Southside Community Land Trust Special Olympics Rhode Island St. Mary’s Home for Children Stand Up For Animals Steamship Historical Society of America Steel Yard SVDP Rhode Island Sweet Binks Rescue, Inc. TAPA: Trinity Academy for the Performing Arts Thundermist Health Center Tockwotton on the Waterfront Tomorrow Fund Trinity Repertory Company Turning Around Ministries, Inc. UCAP School United Way of Rhode Island Universal Youth Initiatives Village Common of RI Warwick Commission on Historical Cemeteries Washington County CDC WaterFire Providence West Bay Chorale Westbay Community Action Westerly Land Trust What Cheer Flower Farm What Cheer Writers Club Wilbury Theatre Group Wildlife Rehabilitators Association of Rhode Island Women & Infants Hospital Women’s Fund of Rhode Island Women’s Refugee Care Year Up YMCA of Greater Providence YMCA of Pawtucket Young Voices YESpvd - Youth Empowerment Services Youth In Action YouthBuild Preparatory Academy

 4EVXMGMTEXMRKRSRTVSƼXWEWSJ.ERYEV]