Design for new Hyannis Public Library
HYANNIS – The Hyannis Public Library is undergoing a major renovation.
The Town of Barnstable has issued a building permit for the construction project. Phase One, the rehabilitation of the library’s 1930s Eagleston Wing, is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
The library engaged Union Studio, the Providence-based architectural firm that designed 255 Main Street, to create the plans for a modern edition of the Library that maintains its New England character and also adds a touch of whimsy, blending tradition with forward-looking vision.
According to a press release,
“This transformation will make HPL a vibrant center of learning and local collaboration, with expanded programming, upgraded facilities and an inclusive design. The Library’s reimagined spaces have been designed with the community in mind and will include flexible meeting rooms, a teaching kitchen, dedicated areas for children and teens, improved technology infrastructure and accessible entrances to ensure every resident feels welcome.”
“I’m so excited to see this project begin and to give Hyannis the welcoming, first-class library it deserves,” said Amanda Converse, president of the Hyannis Public Library Board of Trustees.
The historic Hinckley Wing, a classic Cape Cod cottage and a cherished Main Street landmark currently housing Ora’s Parlor, the Library’s used bookshop, will regain its role as a lending library during the latter part of the project when the back part of the Library—the Twombly Wing—is taken down. The Cape Cod Toy Library’s Outdoor Play Oasis, closed for the duration of the project, will be reconstructed and integrated more intuitively with the new Children’s Room.
Funding has been secured from corporate foundations, private foundations and numerous individual gifts. Most recently, the Library launched its “March for the Match,” after an anonymous donor offered a $1 million match if HPL can raise another $1M. Currently, the Campaign for Hyannis Public Library is just past the halfway point of its $9.6M goal.
The library will continue to operate at reduced capacity during this time, and library programs will take place in nearby venues with its partners the John F. Kennedy Hyannis Museum, the Cordial Eye Gallery and other neighbors.
Phase Two, the demolition of the Twombly Wing is set to begin early in 2026, and full library services will be restored by Summer 2027.
The Town of Barnstable previously announced parking restrictions in the Town Hall lot due to the library project.
By Jim McCabe, CapeCod.com NewsCenter
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