New Penacook branch of library opens

The new Penacook Library and Activities Center in the Community Center.

The new Penacook Library and Activities Center in the Community Center.

Penacook Library technician Julia Miller waves to a friend during the re-opening of the Penacook Library in its new location at the Community Center.

Penacook Library technician Julia Miller waves to a friend during the re-opening of the Penacook Library in its new location at the Community Center. GEOFF FORESTER / Monitor staff

By CATHERINE McLAUGHLIN

Monitor staff

Published: 12-06-2024 11:58 AM

Modified: 12-06-2024 2:43 PM

Members of the public got their first chance to check out the new Penacook branch of the city public library on Thursday. 

The Penacook branch had been housed in an old police station on Merrimack Street for around 75 years, but is now open at its new home inside the Penacook Community Center. 

The Community Center was built by the Boys and Girls Club and opened in August. The city purchased a portion of the project for $1.3 million to house the new library branch in 2022 and the new space is larger, more accessible and has more parking than the previous one. 

The new library will be open on Mondays from 9 a.m – 3 p.m., Thursdays from 1 p.m. – 7 p.m. and Fridays from noon – 6 p.m., with programming for seniors in the middle of the day on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. 

The city is gearing up to sell the building at 3 Merrimack St. that previously housed the library. The city opted to move the library to a new facility rather than to dive into a renovation, and the Heritage Commission is working on a deed provision that would protect the building’s historic nature if it were sold. 

Catherine McLaughlin can be reached at cmclaughlin@cmonitor.com