Dedication Book, 1894

       The Haston Free Public Library Building, gift to the town of North Brookfield of Mr. and Mrs. Erastus Haston, residents of the town, is in its architecture Romanesque, and was constructed after plans drawn by Messrs. Fuller & Delano, architects of Worcester, Mass.
      The location of the building is on the corner of Main and Spring Streets and is an especially eligible and advantageous site. The contractors for the erection of the building were Messrs. Norcross Brothers of Worcester. The Contract price above the foundation was $27,000 and the total cost $36,000, and its total cost with land was $46,000.
      The exterior walls are built of Milford granite, rock face, copper cornices, and red slate. The structure extends north and south and fronts to the east. It is of two stories, hip roof, and to the left of the main entrance there rises an octagon tower which, with its octagon roof, has a height of seventy-three feet.
      In effect the building consists of a central section having an extreme depth of fifty-three feet, and north and south wings, each with a width of thirty-one feet. The extreme length of the structure is seventy-six feet.
      The entrance to building is through a Roman arch, upon either side of which is a highly polished Milford granite column. Just passing the entrance and to the left is a mural tablet of Tennessee marble. Next beyond the lobby has its floor laid in mosaics and in pleasing and tasteful colors. To the left of the waiting room is an alcove, in which are seats or divans, while on the walls above and on either side hang life-size oil portraits of both the donors of the building, Mr. And Mrs. Haston, painted by the well known Boston artist, Mr. W. W. Churchill.
      Opening off from the alcove and the waiting room, and to the left, is the general reading-room. This apartment is twenty-six by twenty eight feet in dimensions, and entrance to it is through a double arch. The general reading-room has a polished hardwood floor, as have all other apartments in the building except that of the waiting room, which, as said, has its floor laid in mosaics. The appointments of the general reading-room comprehend every essential for an apartment of its designated purpose. The room has a dado of oak, transoms of stained glass, and contains mantel, tables, paper racks, coat racks, and the like.
      At the west end of the waiting room is an apartment designed and expressly equipped for a woman’s reading-room. Its exterior is octagonal in form, and thus is secured an abundant light. The furnishings are such as are made expressly for the use of women, and include mahogany writing-desks, tables and like essentials. This apartment is twenty-one by eighteen feet. Opening off from the room is a lavatory.
      The reference library, where will be kept the books for consultation only, is a room eleven by thirteen feet, and opens off the lobby.
      The Librarian’s desk, at the right of the waiting room commands a view of all the apartments on the first floor. The library proper is finished in two stories, and has a capacity now for seventeen thousand (17,000) books, but can easily be made to receive twenty-five thousand (25,000) volumes. The room is twenty-eight by twenty-two feet in dimensions and all its appointments are the best approved and the newest of their kind.
      The stairway leading to the second floor is in the tower to the left of the main entrance. On the second floor and above the waiting room and general reading- room is an apartment twenty-eight by forty-six feet. This room is designed for a museum and portrait gallery, and is most admirably planned and adapted to the purpose. The height of the room is fourteen feet and in its finish has exposed trusses and brackets. At the rear of the museum and directly over the women’s reading room is an apartment for the exclusive use of the Board of Trustees. Besides this room, there opens off the main apartment store-room, closets and large windows open into the library-room proper and a commodious lavatory.
      The site of the building could not be better adapted seemingly to the purpose it has been put. From the east front to the west the grade of the lot is so acute as to allow the west side of the basement to be wholly exposed to the open, and hence the building on the west is three full stories. This advantage of light offers opportunity for the finishing off of several apartments that will be of inestimable convenience in the government of the structure. The apartments include a large room, containing a vault, seven by fourteen feet, for town records and valuable town papers, and a second room that can be used for office purposes by the Water Commissioners of Assessors. The boiler and gas machine rooms are under the library room proper.
      The heating of the building will be by indirect steam, and by a plant furnished by the Washburn-Garfield Company of Worcester. It will be lighted by gas, generated by a Springfield gas machine. The building has been wired for electric lighting and for electric gas lighting. The combination fixtures are very beautiful, in exquisite taste, and were put in by Hollings & Company of Boston.
      The decorating of the building is of an exceptionally high order and was done by Stenberg & Company of Boston and Worcester. The plumbing is the best possible and was done by N. E. Tucker & Son of Worcester. The vault door and combination lock in the record room was from the Morris Safe Company; the furniture was from the Paine Furniture Company, Boston, and is of artistic design; the stained glass was from the Redding and Baird Company, Boston.