Located directly across from Town Hall, the new Prosser Public Library strengthens Bloomfield’s Town Center as a place for learning and community activity. The 28,000 sq. ft. facility introduces a new entry plaza, expanded parking, and improved pedestrian and public transportation access, supporting the Town’s larger vision to bring renewed energy to its civic center.
The library’s design also responds to the architectural character of its Town Center setting. Inspired by the neighboring church, the building’s form, scale, and exterior materials were carefully considered to complement the existing structure without directly replicating it.
The project replaces the former Prosser Library, constructed in 1965, with a facility designed to meet the changing needs of a 21st-century library. From the beginning, the Town’s goal was to maximize the space available for library services and create an efficient, effective resource that would benefit the Bloomfield community.
Community input played an important role in shaping the design. Inside, flexible spaces support programming, technology, reading, studying, collaboration, and informal gathering. Patrons can choose from individual and group study areas, meeting rooms, computer stations, comfortable seating near a fireplace, and a café.
Dedicated spaces give younger patrons environments designed specifically for them. The Children’s Area includes an art wall, activity tables, age-appropriate computers, child-height book stacks, and a variety of seating options. Separate spaces for middle-grade students and teens provide room for gaming, technology, creative activities, socializing, and independent learning. A large community room with after-hours access allows the library to host public meetings, educational programs, performances, and events without opening the entire facility.
“It came to life with the input, energy and ideas of the people it was made for,” Library Director Elizabeth Lane said.
Recurring flooding required the library to be elevated above the floodplain, with open parking below. A new pedestrian bridge crosses Wash Brook, connecting patrons to the south-facing entry portico and incorporating the surrounding landscape into the arrival experience.
By remaining on its established site, Prosser Public Library continues its longstanding presence in the center of Bloomfield while offering the space, technology, accessibility, and flexibility expected of a contemporary public library. The completed facility provides residents of all ages with a welcoming place to learn, gather, create, and connect and revitalizes Bloomfield’s Town Center.
CASE STUDY: Bloomfield Public Library - Prosser Library
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