Technically a Carnegie library. A pleasant surprise. Small but mighty. Packs a punch. Quirky yet grounded. These are the words that come to mind when I think of the New Marlborough Town Library.
I happened to drive by the library a week before photographing it and I thought, “This will be a quicker shoot.” The library is quite small with less ornate architectural detail than most Berkshire libraries, leading me to believe that it wouldn’t be as physically taxing or time-consuming. I was wrong, but in the best way.
Upon arriving, I met Autumn, who kindly showed me around. I always start by asking if there’s anything the librarians don’t want me to miss. Autumn pointed out an “Everyone Is Welcome” sign that the Summer Reading Camp kids made and a small terrarium at the front desk.
New Marlborough was magical to shoot. At first glance, there isn’t anything particular that jumps out as glaringly photogenic or unique (maybe the two live, caged birds that live by the front door), but my job as a photographer is to be a master observer – to be overly sensitive to beauty, textures, details, connections, and patterns.
A friend once told me I was “attuned to everyday magic,” and I’m not sure if photography taught me to notice the world this way, or if I was always inclined to notice it and that’s why I picked up a camera at fourteen. Perhaps every artist has a particular sensitivity to the world around them. That’s why New Marlborough felt so rewarding to photograph: it leveraged that skillset and invited me to slow down, to stay open to hidden beauty.
After a good amount of time shooting, I realized I had to leave for an appointment. I underestimated how much shoot-time I would need, a testament to how special the library is. I came back later that day and finished. My last photo of the day was overhanging trees framing the Konkapot River that runs behind the library.
I’m constantly orienting myself to think how my project can be a gift to the Berkshires community, but I left New Marlborough realizing what a gift it was to me. I get to experience thirty different libraries, each teaching me to be a better photographer, reader, community member, and observer of everyday magic.
The original New Marlborough Free Library was built in 1920 and funded by local resident Marcus Rogers. He persuaded Andrew Carnegie to contribute $5,000 toward its construction. Rogers also left his own endowment to support the library.
It was destroyed by a fire in 1996 and the current building was rebuilt in 1999.
https://www.newmarlboroughlibrary.org/
