We Need More Neighborhood Resources Like the Emma Andrews Library

The Townie is an opinion website. The views expressed in this piece belong solely to the author, do not represent those held by The Townie, and should not be interpreted as objective or reported fact.

The South End was always on “one side of the tracks.” For generations, that side was viewed as the “other” side. Time has passed. Generations have come and gone. Newburyport has grown. Neighborhoods have evolved and the “tracks” have melted away to live only in our memories.

Of course, the South End’s history is not merely about memory. Even a quick stroll through the neighborhood’s meticulously maintained Colonial and Victorian homes evokes a sense of how what once was, has now become what is. The South End, as does much of Newburyport, exists in both the past and present. And quietly overlooking the corner of Purchase and Marlboro streets stands a prime example…the “Emma.”

For more than a century, the Emma L. Andrews Library has flourished while neighborhood schools and local shops have closed. This unassuming Victorian, though definitely not pink, is arguably also deserving of iconic status.

When you enter the Emma, you have stepped into a decidedly deliberate low-tech environment. Library patrons are assigned a membership number but are given no card. Forgot your number? No problem! Member names and numbers are kept in a regularly updated binder. When a book is borrowed, the insert card is hand-stamped with the due date and then filed. Amazingly, this system is efficient and works quite well. The two-room facility houses a well-organized and surprising array of books for adults and children of all reading levels. But don’t expect a card catalogue. Browsing is the name of the game.

While remaining faithful to its community-focused mission, The Emma too has evolved and now serves the entire city. For many years now, the library has been expertly managed and staffed entirely by volunteers. Donations and fundraising efforts are the sole source of financial support for books, supplies, and daily activities (the City owns the building and oversees its maintenence). During recent years, though small, the Emma continues to play an outsized and frequently overlooked role as a community gathering place. For adults, the library hosts such diverse activities as book clubs, knitting groups, and nonprofit meetings and events. There are also a wide range of scheduled and pop-up children’s activities. Themed craft events, birthday parties, book readings, holiday events, and summer outdoor activities are just some of the opportunities for youngsters to get out of the house, socialize, learn, and have fun. The Emma is truly “the little library that could.”

But I’m writing this for The Townie, and The Townie is a publication for op-eds. And I definitely don’t want to risk the ire of the editor. So, what is the point? I recently heard someone refer to the Emma as a “magnet for interesting people.”  That’s the point.

Last year, Newburyport resident, Zoe A., wrote a thoughtful Townie op-ed about the importance of “third places” around town. She noted that third places can be informal or formal. They can be as varied as the Senior Center, our parks and trails, customers standing on line to attend a Screening Room film, waiting for a haircut at the Inn Street Barbershop, gathering in the stands for Pioneer League games, or the summer Sunday pick-up softball games at Perkins Park. All third spaces.

Regardless of where or when, these third spaces “create opportunities for connection, conversation, and community…they serve as democracy’s front porch.” These are the building blocks of what people like to refer to as a tight-knit community. The Emma L. Andrews Library and Community Center is just such a space and has been quietly fostering this spirit for more than a century. Supporting the Emma (volunteering, patronizing, donating) promotes ongoing connection, conversation, and community. City services and institutions have increasingly become more efficient and centralized – with one elementary, middle, high school, Senior Center, public library, and now rec. center; and with just a few distinct shopping districts.

The Emma is a reminder of a more placid past.

However, and more importantly, it can stand as a model for a future Newburyport. Visualize some version of the Emma in the North End, perhaps near Cushing Park. Or, in the West End somewhere in the vicinity of Turkey Hill. Now imagine you’d like to borrow a book, have a convenient space to hold a meeting, or join a discussion group. Maybe you want to bring your child to story hour or a superhero-themed craft activity. Then you remember that there’s no need to get in your car, drive, and hunt for parking. A short walk or bike ride will bring you to your destination – your neighborhood third space. A bit of high-touch in a world of high-tech. Not a replacement for city destinations and resources but, an addition to. Not a dramatic change to modern life but a balance that somewhat softens the edges, offering a neighborhood “magnet for interesting people” who seek “connection, conversation, and community.”

The Emma L. Andrews Library and Community Center can be visited at 77 Purchase Street, Newburyport.
Phone: 978-358-8097
Hours:
Mon. and Wed. 1:00 – 8 p.m.
Sat. 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Steven Diskin
Newburyport resident

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