ibraries are the quiet cornerstones of the communities they serve—despite the fact that so many of them struggle to rustle up the resources needed to better serve their patrons.
A decade ago, the Hudson Area Library was short on space and needed renovations that exceeded their capacity to fundraise. That’s when Galvan approached the library with an idea: restore the historic armory building with the Hudson Area Library as the marquee tenant.
Hudson Area Library
Not long after that serendipitous conversation, the library moved into its new home, where they share space with organizations serving the whole spectrum of Hudson residents.
In addition to the Hudson Area Library, the Galvan Armory is home to a senior center, the Perfect Ten afterschool program for teen girls, and, most recently, The Starting Place, an innovative daycare and special education preschool program. In The Starting Place’s integrated setting, students learn alongside children with disabilities of the same age. Their space in the armory includes classrooms, playgrounds, and rooms for occupational and physical therapy, speech therapy, and social work.
As for the library, it is flourishing in its new home. They can now serve their patrons in new ways, from providing computer access and technology assistance, to hosting all kinds of community events, to even lending tools and seeds to those interested in bringing gardening guides to life.