Libraries

E.C. Scranton Memorial Library

Madison, CT

The E C. Scranton Memorial Library was incorporated in 1901, with the original building designed by architect Henry Bacon, who later designed the Lincoln Memorial. Situated on a prominent corner in the town’s center, the impressively detailed historic structure remains very close to its original state, with stone plinth and ornate plaster ceilings. The existing building had been  added on to and offered 17,000 SF of public library space. DRA designed a 16,000 SF addition, doubling the size.

The design allows patrons to utilize both the main entrance on the Post Road, and a new accessible entrance with generous parking on the north side. The main circulation desk connects the two entrances, with a central open stair to serve the new addition’s upper and lower levels. The design reflects the community’s desire to build in an historically sympathetic style, while allowing generous natural light and views into the reading areas. The exterior includes a combination of brick masonry and cementitious siding, both of which reflect the character and charm of the neighboring structures. The interior design provides flexibility with much of the technology being mobile.

The building houses a program room, adjacent to the new entrance that can be accessed after hours, a teen center, and new adult fiction and nonfiction areas. The children’s collection is now in the large a previously built addition on the east side. In the historic building, the rooms have been restored to handsome reading rooms and quiet study areas.