Belmont Public Library Rebuilds For The Next Generation Of Access

Belmont Public Library Rebuilds for the Next Generation of Access

May 4, 2026

It took over twenty years of planning, community input, and a town-wide vote to get here. But in January 2026, Belmont Public Library in Massachusetts opened the doors of its new building at 336 Concord Avenue, and the wait was worth it.

The new 41,500-square-foot facility replaces a structure that had long outgrown its purpose. The building centers on natural light, open sightlines, and spaces sized for how people actually use libraries today: reading, studying, attending programs, and spending time in a place that belongs to the community.

Photos: Gordon Webster

Bibliotheca worked with the Belmont team to bring selfCheck 3000 kiosks and a flexAMH automated materials handling system into the new space. The selfCheck stations are positioned within the natural flow of the building, so borrowing happens quickly and independently. The flexAMH handles returns and sorting behind the scenes, keeping operations efficient.

The effect is a library where transactions are handled, but not felt. Staff are free to focus on the work that technology cannot do. As staff became familiar with both systems, and especially the AMH, day-to-day work began to shift. Routine check-ins moved into the background, making room for more meaningful interactions with patrons, including helping them get comfortable with the new experience.

“Once the staff learned the inner workings of both systems, but especially the AMH, it’s made a huge difference in how Circulation and Children’s staff spend their time. Rather than focusing on transactional work of checking items in, they are able to focus on the patrons — including introducing patrons to the new systems.”

— Lauren Pfendner, Assistant Library Director

There is also a giraffe.

During the extensive feasibility and design process, a younger patron’s feedback was that “the new library should have a giraffe.” Thus Ginger was introduced to the library. She has a spot near the circulation area and has become something of a fixture for younger visitors. And older ones too.

About Belmont Public Library

Belmont Public Library serves the town of Belmont, Massachusetts, as part of the Minuteman Library Network. The newly built 41,500-square-foot facility was funded through a community-approved debt exclusion and private contributions from the Belmont Library Foundation.