TA News

In 1996, a major renovation of TA’s White Building created the now spacious and light-filled school library. Featuring large east-facing windows and expansive views of the Connecticut River Valley and New Hampshire’s mountains, the library’s central reading room, the adjoining learning lab, and the project room next door are a hub of activity for both students and staff.

As the ‘new’ library turns 25, TA has been working to modernize and refresh this important space. Over the last two years, the library received a fresh coat of paint and bright new flooring. The elimination of a wall further opened the library’s square footage to make room for a student makerspace and a re-configuring of the book collection, which was also reviewed and overhauled.

The latest addition to the library includes new furniture purchased with a Covid-relief grant. While the new ideas for the library started before Covid, the pandemic has informed their shape. For example, modern modular and mobile furniture allow for multiple workstations and can be reconfigured based on social distancing needs. The flexibility of the furniture creates opportunities for both collaborative environments, like club meetings or class gatherings, and independent environments where students can study or relax.

Today, the library is a hybrid of the old and the new, with its classic Pompanoosuc Mills tables and chairs now mixed with cafe tables and stools, and soft furniture clusters throughout the room. TA’s library is always evolving to meet the needs of today’s students and these exciting changes are another way to give students a welcoming and safe place to gather, study, and learn.