New Library Getting Close
NEW LIBRARY GETTING CLOSE
MIDDLETOWN, RI (OCTOBER 21, 2026) — The Middletown Public Library project is coming together.
During a recent briefing with the Town Council, Library Building Committee Chairman Don Morin said like the new middle high school, the new library was really taking shape in time for an anticipated opening in late winter or early spring 2027.
With assistance of a computer slideshow, Morin showed off the look and feel of the children’s room, meeting spaces, front entrance and more for the facility at 110 Enterprise Center.
To view Morin’s presentation, go to https://mdl.town/Morin-Powerpoint online for more.
“I want to take the time to thank the town administration and the Town Council for purchasing this building and coming up with a funding strategy to provide the residents with a new library at zero cost to the taxpayer,” Morin said. “The current library is in need of repair. We’ve had issues with the HVAC, we’ve had issues with floors collapsing. Rather than spending money on the old building, this project will more than double the available space.”
Opening the presentation, Morin complimented the other members of the building committee along with library leadership and staff as well as Shared Facilities Director Ed Collins.
He also thanked council President Paul Rodrigues and council candidate Rick Lombardi personally for helping raise more than $600,000 in donations for the project themselves.
All told, Morin said approximately $2.3 million has been given to the new library, money earmarked for add ons not originally envisioned when the proposal first started.
Those included replacing all the HVAC units on the roof of the building, retooling the front entrance, adding sound mitigation and other work that couldn’t be covered initially.
“I just want to point out that these grants and donations are given specifically to enhance the project,” Morin said. “That’s what we have to use them for. We’re putting them exactly where the donors and grant providers told us they wanted us to spend the money.”
Morin noted throughout the project would not cost local property owners anything in new taxes. That’s because the effort was being funded through non-tax sources and reimbursements from the state, anticipated at up to 55 percent of the total cost.
At the council’s next meeting on Nov. 2, Morin said the group would be asked to award a moving contract to relocate everything from the library’s current home at 700 West Main Road to the location behind Town Hall.
Guiding council members through the front entrance, Morin noted there would be a circulation desk and space for support staff.
He said the community meeting room nearby would be available for gatherings of more than 100 people, including after-hours when the library itself was closed. There would also be a conference room that could seat 20 people, a local history room and multiple smaller study rooms.
The Friends of the Middletown Public Library would have a space for a used bookstore. There is also space for the Library Of Things collection, where patrons can borrow everything from a power washer to a ceremonial check, lawn games and more.
In addition to sections for fiction and nonfiction books, Morin said there are designed reading and gathering spaces throughout to make the library more user friendly and what a community like Middletown deserves.
Unlike the current library, teenagers will have their own dedicated space as well as an Innovation Center, where there can be cooking, sewing, arts, crafts and more.
Morin said one of the project highlights was the children’s room, which was designed with youngsters in mind from the coloring, layout and design.
“There’s a couple of poles that will be wrapped and made to look like trees and there’s a tree line along the back wall,” Morin said. “We just think it will be a fun spot for the children space and much larger than what we have today.”
Excited by what he saw, council President Paul M. Rodrigues said he couldn’t wait for everyone in the community to see the new library in a much better location and closer to every school.
“Nice presentation Don. Thank you,” Rodrigues said. “And thank you to all the dedicated people on the (Library) Building Committee because you guys have just steered this (project) in the right direction and done a great job. You’ve been right on top of it, whether it was donations or design. I was really happy to see the Middletown blue.”
Document Link: https://mdl.town/NYCU-Library-Close
About Middletown
The Town of Middletown is a vibrant municipality located on Aquidneck Island, known for its scenic beauty, historic landmarks, diverse economy and strong sense of community. For more information about all we have to offer, visit MiddletownRI.gov online.
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