by MCLS Engagement Strategist Laura Warren-Gross 

North Adams Memorial Community Library opened its new facility in 2020 during COVID-19. Now, six years later they are fully open, and the community is making use of their engaging spaces and programs. The North Adams community passed a millage in August of 2026 which will allow the staff and board to continue focusing on their strategic goals of access, being a community hub, providing opportunities for lifelong learning, and preserving local history and culture. 

The library is located near the K-12 school and when I visited with director Mariel Busch in early June over 200 students were already registered for summer reading. Through a partnership with local businesses and the village, a sidewalk was being constructed to connect the school grounds to the library parking lot so that kids can easily walk between the two facilities. 

Mariel has recently earned her MLIS from Wayne State University with a concentration in Archival Administration, and she is putting that knowledge to use by creating a local history room. Back issues of the region’s newspaper have been donated to the library, and the staff is working to digitize them. They also have an extensive history of the town written by Marie Davis. With the permission of the family, the library staff is working to digitize this precious information for the enjoyment of future generations. Though they have borrowed a digitization kit previously, Mariel hopes to own equipment via grant funding to do this work. 

As a place to discover local history, engage in programming, and borrow resources, North Adams Community Memorial Library is a vibrant hub for everyone who walks through the doors. 

What makes your library unique? Engagement, Consulting, and Training team members would love to hear about your library and share your story! Interested? Contact us at engagement@mcls.org.