Anyone who drove past the Harvard Public Library in recent months might have noticed that a pavilion was being built. Anyone who drove by on Tuesday of this week heard the cries of joy and saw the completed pavilion hosting a children’s band at its opening event.
The concert with the Toe Jam Puppet Band was just one of the many programs that children’s librarian Abby Kingsbury will host in the library’s new space. Having already held several story times in the shadow of the building, Kingsbury is looking forward to using the gazebo for book and writing clubs and workshops, and she hopes to offer movie nights when the library can organize a screen.
The pavilion is the brainchild of the Harvard Public Library Board of Trustees, which consists of elected city officials responsible for setting library policies and managing finances. The Board of Trustees’ strategic plan took a critical turn during the COVID-19 pandemic, giving members cause to consider moving library activities outdoors in a more permanent manner.
According to a press release from the trustees this week, when library staff switched to an outdoor story hour under a tent, it was clear that patrons were enjoying the natural space Harvard offers for activities in all four seasons. With funding from the library’s endowment fund, supported by private donations, and the expertise of Ayer-based (RE)Architects, the library built a covered outdoor space for library programs, something few libraries in the state can boast.
Children chase pieces of clothing scattered by Vinnie Lovegrove (center) while Tom Poitras (far left) accompanies his antics on guitar as the Toe Jam Puppet Band performs at the newly opened Harvard Public Library Pavilion on August 13. (Photo by Lisa Aciukewicz)
The pavilion may provide space, but for board of trustees chair Stacie Green, it is much more than that. “I’ve read all this theory around placemaking,” she said. “You don’t just want to create spaces, you want to create places.” Green was in the library for a different reason when she heard the music coming from the pavilion and joined the crowd on the lawn for the concert Tuesday afternoon. “I saw all these babies running around, and there was great joy. That’s what we were hoping to do: create a place of joy.”
Children giggled and shouted as Vinnie Lovegrove, frontman of Toe Jam Puppet, blew giant bubbles into the air, splashing the crowd with water and getting everyone dancing while Tom Poitras strummed his guitar and sang. “I love the space,” Poitras said when asked how he enjoyed performing in the pavilion. “It’s very warm here because of all the wood, the acoustics are great.” Lovegrove said he appreciated the overall design, which allowed for easy loading, had ample power and was ideal for audience interaction.
Spectators were also excited about the pavilion. Jessica and Chris Kimball and their four-year-old son Bode sat on a blanket in the grass and enjoyed the show, the first library event the family had attended. “This is great,” Jessica said. “We will definitely be coming to more events.”
The library board has already received inquiries about the availability of the pavilion for public use. Green said policies regarding the space will be the main focus of the next library board meeting, which will be held at the library on Monday, Sept. 9, at 7 p.m. “In the meantime,” Green said, “I hope we just cram it full of activities and see what people like.”
The library will hold a grand opening celebration for the public on Saturday, Sept. 7, from 2 to 4 p.m. The celebration will feature the youth band One Twenty Too, whose lead singer is Gina Moussouris, an eighth-grader from Bromfield, and whose drummer is Vivienne Cogan, a ninth-grader from Bromfield, and the blues-folk band Neighborhood Panic from Fitchburg. Lawn games and light refreshments will be provided, but visitors should bring their own chairs or blankets.
