Almost two years after major flooding led to its closure, the Hartford Public Library鈥檚 downtown branch on Main Street reopened to the public Wednesday morning with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
鈥淭he catastrophic flood we had in December of 鈥�22 was devastating, and it has taken this long for us to be able to come back from that,鈥� said Bridget Quinn, library president and CEO. 鈥淭oday is such a big day.鈥�
鈥淣ot having ready access to all of the resources that are available here has been very challenging for our community,鈥� Quinn said. 鈥淪o I鈥檓 just excited to see people back in the building 鈥� it鈥檚 been a little too quiet the last two years.鈥�
Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulampalam called it 鈥渁 great day in Hartford.鈥� He noted the many amenities the library provides: immigration resources, children鈥檚 programming, spaces for the unhoused community and more.
鈥淭his is not just a library. It's not just a repository of books,鈥� Arulampalam said. 鈥淭his is the open door to our city for so many residents.鈥�
Hartford City Council member Amilcar Hernandez said libraries played a huge role in his own childhood.
鈥淚 had a rough, rough, rough life, but the library was a safe haven for me,鈥� Hernandez said. 鈥淚t'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.鈥�
In 2022, torrents of water damaged 鈥渃eilings, walls, floors, fixtures, wiring, elevator shafts, equipment and furniture,鈥� 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.
