Cary Memorial Library will be closed weekdays through March 20 to allow staff to shelve books and move materials into the newly renovated areas. Schedule details, including some limited weekday evening hours for pick-up only, can be found on the library’s website. The library will be extending due dates so nothing is due during the 3 weeks of limited hours.
These closures come nearly 20 months after renovations began on the Lower Level of Cary Memorial Library in July 2024. The project will bring improvements to the Children’s Room and the Large Meeting Room. As part of the renovation, the library replaced the Lower Level’s aging HVAC system, transitioning this floor from fossil fuel heating to a cleaner energy alternative.
The redesigned space includes improved lighting and appropriately sized furniture to create a more inviting environment. The Children’s Room will feature a more flexible and open layout, allowing staff and parents to better supervise children while accommodating the growing demand for youth programs. The Large Meeting Room has been transformed with a teaching kitchen, makerspace storage, and new audio-visual technology to support various activities and meetings.
In the meantime, Lexington residents can utilize other libraries in the Minuteman Library Network, including Belmont’s brand new library. Located steps from Belmont High School and the town’s downtown, the $39 million library opened this January after nearly two years of construction.
The space features an open central commons designed for gathering and events. Like Cary, Belmont Public Library features a Children’s Room and a dedicated Young Adult area. It also hosts flexible study and collaboration spaces, a maker space and digital media lab, and a community room with after-hours access.
Belmont focused not only on improving the library’s interior amenities but also on creating sustainable outdoor spaces. The grounds now include walking paths, gathering areas for community events, and stormwater rain gardens designed to manage runoff.
Through the Minutemen Library Network, those with a library card from Cary can borrow materials from surrounding libraries, including Belmont’s.