Brightwood Branch Library

Hours:
Tuesday: 10 am - 5 pm
Thursday: 1 pm - 8 pm
Friday: 9 am - 1 pm

Opened in 1998

359 Plainfield Street
Springfield, MA 01107
413-263-6805

Manager: Maeleah Carlisle
Assistant Manager: Haydee Hodis

The beautiful Brightwood Branch Library is located in the heart of the Brightwood section of Springfield. The library is situated in the Chestnut Accelerated Middle School building across the street from the Benjamin Ramos Health Center.

Through its Collections and Services, the Brightwood Branch Library provides for the informational, educational, and leisure needs of the community.

Do you know how the Brightwood area got its name? Josiah Gilbert Holland (born in Belchertown, MA in 1819), doctor, author, poet, and early editor of The Springfield Republican, wrote his second narrative poem titled "Kathrina," in 1867 while staying at his new home in the north end of Springfield. He called his beautiful home ("painted a glowing Venetian red") Brightwood, and the name was soon applied to the whole section of the city. Interestingly J.G. Holland married Elizabeth Chapin, a good friend of Amherst poet Emily Dickinson. Mr. Holland died in New York City in 1881 and is buried in the Springfield Cemetery; his bronze profile wrought by Augustus Saint-Gaudens adorns his cemetery monument.

PRACTICE SPEAKING ENGLISH AT THE LIBRARY
Join a Conversation Circle at the Brightwood Branch

Brightwood Branch Library, 359 Plainfield Street, will offer adults learning to speak English the opportunity to develop confidence and build vocabulary by joining a conversation group meeting at that branch.

Tuesdays from 1-2:30 p.m.
Thursdays from 6:30-8 p.m. or
Fridays from 10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

The free Conversation Circles , for adults who speak any language, are a fun way to make new friends and practice speaking English. Please register by calling (413) 263-6805 or visiting the Brightwood Branch Library during open hours: Tuesdays from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Thursdays from 1-8 p.m., and Fridays from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. The library is located in the same building as the Chestnut Accelerated Middle School, with free parking next it.

Conversation Circles are brought to you with federal funds provided by the Institute of Museum and Library Services and administered by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation's 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. The Institute's mission is to create strong libraries and museums that connect people to information and ideas. The Institute works at the national level and in coordination with state and local organizations to sustain heritage, culture, and knowledge; enhance learning and innovation; and support professional development. To learn more about the Institute, please visit www.imls.gov.

To promote neighborhood culture and development, the library makes its community room available for educational, social service, and other organizations. The library also hosts community events such as musical performances, puppet shows, readings by authors, and exhibitions by illustrators and other artists. Click here for Meeting Room policy.