The New Darien Library

• Donate to the New Library Fund
  
  
• New Darien Library on YouTube
  
  
• Questions & Answers
  
  
• Top Ten Reasons We Need a New Darien Library
  
  
• Annual Meeting 2007
  
-Kim Huffard's Remarks
-Louise Berry's Remarks
-David Campbell's Building Update Presentation
• Annual Meeting 2007 Podcasts
  
-Part One President's Report, Director's Report, Election
-Part Two Building Update and Steff Geissbuhler of C&G Partners
-Part Three C&G Partners unveils new Library logo


• Preliminary Building Plans (June 2006)
  • View from Parking Lot and from the Front (Post Road)
  • View from Southwest (Hecker Ave.) and from Northeast (Nielsen's Florist)
• Preliminary Building Sketches (June 2006)
• Case Summary 
• Plans for the New Darien Library
• Storm Water Management

In the News

Visit our New Building Blog
                               Latest Post:  Up in the sky and under the ground

See the current photos

• Minus Housing Clause, Darien RTM OKs Library Buy (Darien Times, June 14, 2007)
• Darien Selectmen OK Funding for Library Buy (Darien Times, May 14, 2007)
• Once in a Lifetime, a Community Builds a Library (Darien News-Review, April 19, 2007)
• Board of Finance OKs Library Purchase (Darien News-Review, April 19, 2007)
• RTM Approval Now Needed: Finance Board OKs Library Buy (Darien Times, April 19, 2007)
• Selectmen Want to Buy Darien Library Property for $4.1 Million (Darien News-Review, April 12, 2007)
• Library Statement regarding the Board of Selectmen's vote (April 11, 2007)
• Darien Library Breaks Ground on New Home (Darien News-Review, March 15, 2007)
• For New Darien Library, Ground Will Be Broken Sunday (Darien Times, March 8, 2007)
• Price Tag for Library Property: 3,750,000 (Darien News-Review, March 1, 2007)
• Library Director Shares Vision for New Library (Darien Times, February 22, 2007)
• Darien Republican Club Hosts Presentations (Darien News-Review, February 22, 2007)
• Largest Grant Since 1998: Technology Foundation Awards $500K to Library (Darien Times, December 21, 2006)
• Auction to Benefit New Darien Library (Darien Times, September 28, 2006)
• P&Z Approves New Darien Library Building (Darien Times, September 14, 2006)
• Library's Plans for New Location Move Forward (Darien News-Review, August 9, 2006)
• Town Considers Buying Library Property (Darien News-Review, August 9, 2006)
• New Darien Library More Than Just A Building (Darien Times, July 20, 2006)
• Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting Minutes for Tuesday, July 18, 2006
• New Library Could Open in Fall 2008 (Darien Times, June 15, 2006)
• Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting Minutes for Tuesday, June 13, 2006
• Zoning Change: Makes Way for Library (Darien Times, February 23, 2006)
• Planning and Zoning Gives New Library Plans a Lift (Darien Times, February 9, 2006)
• Demolition Makes Way for the Library (Darien Times, February 2, 2006)
• Library Plan Gains Momentum (Darien News-Review, September 22, 2005)
• Library Work to Begin (Darien Times, July 14, 2005)
• Long-Range Library Planning (Darien News-Review, June 30, 2005)
• Who's Using the Library (Darien News-Review, May 19, 2005)
• Increased Use Tightens Quarters (Darien Times, March 31, 2005)
• Library Buildings 2004 -- Great Libraries in the Making (Library Journal, December 2004)
• Letter to Newspaper (November, 2004)
• Letter to Friends of the Darien Library

After 5 years of planning, the trustees have entered into an agreement with multiple parties to acquire the land at the corner of the Post Road and Hecker Avenue on which they plan to build in the next few years.

The Library's architect, Peter Gisolfi Associates, in conjunction with the the Library Building Committee, will present preliminary designs to the Planning & Zoning Commission on Tuesday, June 13th. These drawings are also available in full size for viewing in the library. (Design 1, Design 2, P&Z Commission Agenda )

The Darien Library is committed to delivering to the Darien community the excellent Library experience to which it is accustomed. To that end, the Board of Trustees embarked on a long range planning process five years ago. Out of that process, the Library decided to pursue alternatives to accommodate our growing need for space.

Our first effort — to expand next door — failed to come to fruition for a number of reasons. In the long run, the expansion next door would not have yielded the necessary space to meet the long term needs of your Library. It would have failed to deliver enough indoor space to accommodate our growing collection. And more to the point, we would not have been able to create any more parking spaces under that plan.

Our second effort — the purchase of this new site — will serve the Library and the Town of Darien well for the long term. While retaining the wonderful customer service that we currently deliver, we plan to add new services that will enhance the Library experience. In the new Library, we will have an expanded Children’s Room with its own story time space. Also, we will have multiple quiet study spaces for adults, a teen-dedicated space, outdoor reading areas and space enough to display our entire book collection in a way that is accessible to all our patrons. We plan to design a building that is more energy efficient so that we can keep the operating costs down.

For more information, please feel free to contact Mary Bennett, Louise Berry or Kim Huffard at 655-1234, x118.