Mather Memorial Library

The Mather Memorial Library located at 23866 Route 220 in Ulster, Pennsylvania is home to a collection of over 15,000 items including adult fiction and nonfiction, young adult, children’s literature, DVDs, audiobooks, and more. A recent addition to the collection includes several high-quality STEM kits for children of all ages.

The library has resided in its current building since 1930, when the old Mather General Store was purchased. As the decades have gone by, it has become apparent to the library’s board of trustees that substantial renovations and upgrades are of dire need for our library to continue serving the communities of Ulster and Sheshequin Townships at the level of quality that they deserve. This project will likely be one of the most expansive library renovation projects that Bradford County has seen to date, with the hope to transform this small town library into a vision for the future - while simultaneously honoring the historic value of the Mather building.

Funds raised during NEPA Gives may be used for general operating costs or towards our renovation and expansion project. If you have a preference how we use your funds, please let us know! 

Property Acquisition and Parking Accessibility

When the Mather Memorial Library moved into its current location, Route 220 was not the high-traffic highway that it is today. The location of the library, while conveniently located on a main stretch through Ulster, is lacking adequate parking for use by our patrons. The library currently has three parking spots located on the opposite side of the road, meaning in order to access the library, patrons are often forced to cross Route 220. This is neither safe nor accessible and is a frequent source of complaints from our library users.

To combat this issue, the board of trustees has entered a sales agreement with the owner of the property adjacent to the library located between the library and the post office in hopes of putting in a parking lot for library patrons.

Building Renovations and Ground Floor Expansion

The Mather Memorial Library is currently a two-story building with approximately 1,500 sq. ft. per floor. The library board plans to focus on increasing access to the library for all patrons, and so we are planning to add approximately 2,100 sq. ft. to the ground floor during the renovation process. This expansion will allow us to limit all public access to the ground floor for universal accessibility, utilizing the second story for only storage purposes. The expansion will include meeting space, a revamped dedicated children’s area, and access to six public-use computers, with at least one computer being located in a private room for use by patrons looking to access telehealth or other confidential services. We plan to completely reconfigure our existing layouts to allow for the best possible use of space. These layout updates will be done with assistance from a design firm that specializes in libraries. We hope to incorporate a dedicated area for local history materials, further honoring the library’s history. The board also plans to install ADA-compliant automatic doors for patrons with mobility issues. The Mather Memorial Library was built more than 100 years ago and it was not constructed with public accessibility in mind. It is well-past time to fix that.

Renovations will include upgrades to circuitry and public restrooms, as well as the replacement of floors and ceilings.

Outcomes and Goals

The success of this project would be a monumental step in the right direction for not just Ulster and Sheshequin Townships, but Bradford County as a whole. Investing in our communities always leads to increased community pride and economic growth. The board of trustees at Mather Memorial Library hopes that these renovations will garner positive attention for our organization and our community, leading to increased library usage. This library expansion will also allow Mather Memorial to catch up with current trends and offer even more services to our community. Ulster has several homeschooling families that use our library in their curriculum - this would allow more than just two families to simultaneously use the library with ease. With added space for meetings and programs, Mather Memorial Library could bolster our community events and programming calendar to comparable levels alongside other local libraries. These improvements will make the Mather Memorial Library a community hub for Ulster, Sheshequin, and surrounding communities for years to come.