Hartford Eyes 2026 Completion of Library Renovation
As public libraries continue to expand their roles, a joint investment will soon ready Hartford’s library for the next generation, according to state and city officials.
“A library is not what it used to be,” House Speaker Matt Ritter, D-Hartford, said. “It’s so different. If you come in here on a Saturday or a Tuesday, it’s not just young kids reading in a corner. It’s now we have UConn students studying here. We have people taking immigration classes. We have folks using it to check their email. It is a modern, vibrant institution, and it’s very different.”
Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulampalam agreed, saying that the library is the core of the city, and that this investment would preserve the library for generations to come.
“This library is not just a building, it is a testament to our values as a city,” he said. “That everyone, that every kid should be able to expand their imagination and knowledge in a beautiful temple like this. That new immigrants who come into our city should be welcomed in a beautiful place like this. That folks who are looking for social services, folks who are unhoused, folks who just need to get information on where they can find access to resources, should be able to do it in a beautiful place like this. “
The Restore, Renew and Reimagine campaign seeks to build on renovation work that’s already been completed at the Hartford Public Library’s Main Street Branch in downtown Hartford to position the library for the future. The library has already raised $4.3 million towards its goal of $5 million for the campaign. The state of Connecticut has provided an additional $5 million in bonding.
Once completed, the library will feature several new spaces aimed at serving the community, including a social services center, a business support center, a community focused media production and broadcast center, and UConn CO:LAB, a new center billed to facilitate community collaborations, innovation and entrepreneurship
“Today we are ushering in a new chapter for Hartford and for our library system, launching the public phase of the Restore, Renew, and Reimagine capital campaign at the downtown library,” said Bridget Quinn, president and CEO of the Hartford Public Library. “This project is more than flood repair, more than renovation. It is a piece of our mission and reflects exactly what we’re here to do, to build a public library that reflects and honors Hartford’s spirit, its creativity, and how we serve our people and inspire future generations.”
The Main Street branch has faced challenging circumstances over the last few years. It was closed for nearly two years after a pipe burst on Christmas Day in 2022, requiring extensive renovation and repairs on all three of the library’s floors. It reopened the first floor in November 2024, and reopened its Children’s Center and YOUmedia area, a space designed to cater to teenagers, in January of this year.
An electrical fire in June closed the library again for two days, but regular operation resumed quickly.
Rep. John Larson, D-CT, was on hand to congratulate the library on its progress so far, and pledge continued support from the state’s federal delegation.
“As a former teacher, I know how important libraries are, and when you think you’re in the city of Mark Twain, and you think about the significance, the history, the cultural commitment, and everything that this library represents is tremendous,” he said.
Beyond information and services, the library serves as a hub for community and a place for learning that goes beyond what people typically associate with a library. Ritu Paliwal, a frequent patron of the library, told the gathered guests that she and her friend have learned how to sew, knit and improve their makeup at programs offered at various branches.
“When I heard the theme of this event, Restore, Renew, Reimagine, it immediately resonated with me,” she said. “This is my story. This library restored me. It renewed me, and most importantly, it helped me reimagine who I could be. It built the trust that we can do it, that I can do it. I hope my story connects with yours and that you feel the same love and belonging here at the Hartford Public Library that I do.”
The downtown library project is part of a wave of library improvements which have occurred in Hartford in recent years. A new library building opened on Park Street in 2021, and plans for a new library on Barbour Street were approved by the city and HPL in late 2023.
Renovations are expected to take 11-13 months to complete, with an early 2026 targeted completion date.