Almost two years after major flooding led to its closure, the Hartford Public Library’s downtown branch on Main Street reopened to the public Wednesday morning with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
“The catastrophic flood we had in December of ‘22 was devastating, and it has taken this long for us to be able to come back from that,” said Bridget Quinn, library president and CEO. “Today is such a big day.”
“Not having ready access to all of the resources that are available here has been very challenging for our community,” Quinn said. “So I’m just excited to see people back in the building – it’s been a little too quiet the last two years.”
Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulampalam called it “a great day in Hartford.” He noted the many amenities the library provides: immigration resources, children’s programming, spaces for the unhoused community and more.
“This is not just a library. It's not just a repository of books,” Arulampalam said. “This is the open door to our city for so many residents.”
Hartford City Council member Amilcar Hernandez said libraries played a huge role in his own childhood.
“I had a rough, rough, rough life, but the library was a safe haven for me,” Hernandez said. “It's very personal to me. I didn't get to come to the libraries as a child here in Hartford, but I did in Puerto Rico, and I know how meaningful it is to have a place like this in our city.”
In 2022, torrents of water damaged “ceilings, walls, floors, fixtures, wiring, elevator shafts, equipment and furniture,” officials said. Repairs and renovations cost $10 million, with over $8 million coming from state government.
A second phase of renovations is due to begin next year, with a focus on adding new spaces and amenities including a history center, a media production studio, an events venue and more.
Between 2017 and 2020, the downtown library averaged more than 400,000 visitors a year, a number library leadership said they hope to meet or exceed moving forward.
