'What a treasure': The 'coziest library in Quincy' celebrates 100 years in Wollaston

QUINCY − Amid the hustle and bustle of Wollaston's busiest street, a small, 100-year-old structure sits next to a four-story, mixed-used building and across the street from a busy CVS Pharmacy.

Blink, and you just might miss it on a casual stroll of Beale Street.

Inside, the ceilings are low and the accents are made of dark wood. One side is occupied by a colorful rug covered in toys and children's books, and the other is stuffed to the brim with novels, newspapers and magazines. You barely have to turn your head to take in the entirety of the humble Wollaston library, but its cozy corners and historical charm make it a favorite destination.

"For a little library, I don't think everybody realizes what a treasure it is," said frequent user Annie Ambrosio on a recent snowy weekday. "I just think it's great."

The Wollaston branch of the Thomas Crane Public Library will celebrate 100 years of serving patrons with a reception Friday. The drop-in event will start at 6 p.m. and will include Quincy trivia, a celebratory cake, mocktails, raffles and a collection of book-inspired flower arrangements made by the Wollaston Garden Club.

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In the weeks leading up to the anniversary, Wollaston librarian Amanda Pegg-Wheat said she's had several calls from current or former residents sharing fond memories of the library, including one woman who plans to attend the event and reflect on her first job as a library page.

"It's not a super-fussy or rigid event because this branch isn't that type of place. It's fun, it's casual and community driven and I wanted the party to reflect that," Pegg-Wheat said. "It feels like a community center. There's always people meeting each other or seeing someone they know. It has its limitations and its challenges, but it's a place people love."

The library opened with a reception Friday, March 2, 1923, after years of work by the Wollaston Woman's Club. The club's members worked first to buy land and erect the building, selling parcels by the square foot to Wollaston residents. They then furnished the library with extra money and held several book drives to fill the shelves.

A piano was donated by the Wollaston Glee Club, the library was decorated for the opening reception in potted plants given by several local schools, and a member of the library board spoke to the "need of a woman's point of view in matters of educational interest," according to the March 3, 1923, edition of The Patriot Ledger.

"This is a true community-built library, down to the land it sits on," Pegg-Wheat said. "It presented an opportunity for the neighborhood to have its own library space, and we're very proud of that."

At the height of the Thomas Crane Public Library's popularity, there were 13 library branches in Quincy, including the main branch on Washington Street, the Wollaston building and a number of smaller collections, like the Squantum branch in the basement of the neighborhood's fire station. Today, there are only four, and Wollaston stands out as the city's oldest.

"I love my little branch. I describe it as 'the coziest library in Quincy' and I'm very conscious of the legacy we have here," Pegg-Wheat said. "We are here very much because the community wanted us here, and it continues to want us here."

Sara Slymon, director of the Thomas Crane Public Library, said the Wollaston branch doesn't see the same high number of visitors as the main library or the North Quincy branch, but has a "very dedicated patronage."

The library is only open 24 hours a week, but she said the circulation could sustain twice as many hours if staffing could be increased.

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"They have a population of people who really, really love this branch," Slymon said of Wollaston. "It's a really vibrant branch for its location and size."

When it was built, the library was nestled into a crop of woods and stood almost alone on its block. Today, it shares its street front with a real estate business, has no parking lot and doesn't comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Its age, relatively small book collection and space limitations have led to challenges over the last several decades, particularly when flooding pushed the basement − which used to house the children's section and the staff's break room − out of commission.

Pegg-Wheat says the branch does what it can. Librarians bring books outside to patrons who can't make it up the front steps, for example, and every week she has to remove books when new ones come in because of the lack of space.

But the Wollaston branch is next on the list for a major renovation. Slymon said the next step is to work up a feasibility study and apply to the state Board of Library Commissioners for financial help.

"Tiny branches really do have a special place in people's hearts," she said. "These legacy buildings, people feel very attached to them emotionally. It's homey, it's not overrun. It feels like a home to people."

Reach Mary Whitfill at mwhitfill@patriotledger.com.

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This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: The 'coziest library in Quincy' celebrates 100 years in Wollaston