Calvert Library Breaks Ground on New Branch
By Molly Weeks Crumbley
“Libraries are a focal point of every community,” says Calvert County Commissioner Earl “Buddy” Hance.
For the towns of North Beach and Chesapeake Beach, a beautiful new focal point is on its way in the form of the brand-new Calvert Library Twin Beaches Branch. After years of work to secure funding and a new location, officials broke ground for a new building May 24 at the North Beach Town Hall. Calvert Library Executive Director Carrie Willson kicked off the remarks, welcoming a large group of attendees and sharing her thoughts about the history and future of the Twin Beaches Branch.
For 31 years, the Twin Beaches Branch has been housed in the Captains Quarter’s shopping center in Chesapeake Beach. Though a well-visited and loved location, the needs of the library eventually outgrew the limited physical space available.
Jeffrey Lewis, president of the Board of Library Trustees, explained to the gathered crowd, “The Twin Beaches Branch has been bursting at the seams for many, many, years. Thanks to a very creative staff, the community has had access to a very cozy but usable 4,800-square foot facility.”
The new facility, he said, will be a 21st century library that will be ADA accessible and nearly quadruple the size at almost 16,000-square feet.
The plans for the branch will allow ample space for the collection, public meeting room and study areas, public computers, dedicated areas for children and teens, and a makerspace. “There will even be a break room for staff who have been washing their lunch dishes in the staff bathroom for the past 30 years,” Lewis added.
The Twin Beaches Branch has been housed in both North Beach and Chesapeake Beach over the years.
The first Twin Beaches opened in 1981 in North Beach, where it spent ten years before shifting to its current location in Chesapeake Beach. The new building will be located once again in North Beach at the corner of 5th Street and Chesapeake Avenue.
“Both towns have been excellent hosts to Calvert Library,” said Willson. “Both towns offered their hospitality for this new facility and it was a very competitive but collegial process with the Board of Library Trustees.”
Ultimately, North Beach had an ideal location for the new construction, and the town donated the land parcel and a $250,000 Community Legacy Grant to assist in the design process.
The design of the new branch is being led by HBM Architects under the guidance of the Colimore architectural firm. The construction bid was awarded in April to Huntingtown-based Scheibel Construction.
As Hance told the attendees, “It’s especially exciting when a good local company gets the job so that that the money stays local.”
Additional funding for the project was secured through matching capital grants and local funding efforts. Willson acknowledged the work of the county government. “I am sincerely grateful for the support of the commissioners. I’ve heard multiple times, especially during this year’s budget process, that each of you believe that government exists to provide service to the community and I thank you for your commitment to making sure that a strong public library system is one of those valued services” she said. “They might not give me every dollar I ask for at budget time, but they consistently understand that the public library is accessible community education and a vital resource for personal growth.”
Present at the groundbreaking was Del. Rachel Jones, who is also a member of the Board of Library Trustees. “I know what it looks like to grow up to have access to the resources, to education, to knowledge, to the tools, to the programs that libraries offer, that this library system in particular offers,” she said.
State Librarian Irene M. Padilla agreed, reminding attendees, “I think we can all agree that library facilities are very crucial. That was proven during the pandemic when we couldn’t get into our libraries.” She went on to address the myriad ways in which Calvert County’s library system was able to pivot and continue to provide their customers with access to materials and technology while the buildings closed. Now, all four Calvert Library locations are open for in-person use, as well as the newly added bookmobile that makes stops throughout the county each week.
Ariane Swann Odom, a registered member of the Piscataway Conoy tribe provided a blessing on behalf of Chief Jesse Swann, who was unable to attend. “I ask the Creator, bless this new library going into Calvert County today,” she began. “Bring much joy to all the young and old alike. May it not only bring joy to their lives but much knowledge…”
Construction is projected to be complete by the winter of 2024.