Last look at old library: Amherst’s Jones giving tours through March

AMHERST — Final opportunities for patrons to get an inside look at both the original 1928 Jones Library building and its 1990s addition, before work commences on an expansion and renovation project at the 43 Amity St. site this spring, are taking place throughout March.

Volunteers from the Friends of the Jones Libraries are leading tours of the current building, bringing people into some spaces that are not open to the public, including what they call a “rabbit warren” of hidden staff workrooms and back stairwells.

The tours also will be an opportunity for people to revisit areas of the library popular with the public but likely to change in some fashion during the $46.1 million project.

Capital campaign manager Ginny Hamilton said that the tours come in advance of construction bids being due in mid-April. As of March 1, $39.1 million has been secured from various sources, including $4.06 million from the community campaign that is supplementing $15.75 million from the town, $13.87 million from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners and various other federal, state and local grants.

There will be three more opportunities to tour the building: March 17 at 2 p.m., March 23 at 10 a.m. and March 26 at 7 p.m. Tours will begin at the main stairwell on the first floor and will last about one hour.

For more information, go to www.JonesLibraryCapitalCampaign.org.