Marlboro Free Library Children’s Mural

An Example of School District and Community Library Cooperation

Many libraries have wall space above the stacks that can never be utilized for shelving because the books would be too high to reach by patrons. This is especially true of the children’s department. So what is a librarian to do with all that valuable wasted space in between the top of the shelves and the ceiling? Marlboro Free Library came up with a great solution turning a drab section of wall into a vibrant and exciting masterpiece, at no cost to the library itself!
James Cosgrove the Director of the Marlboro Free Library explains how his vision became reality.

“I guess it started with me and Susan Tumminia, the Children’s Program Coordinator to make our children’s area look a little less institutional and a little more whimsical (an ongoing endeavor here at Marlboro. The carpeting will be replaced with bright colored carpet tiles this fall). I have always liked the murals that were drawn in schools by the WPA (Works Project Administration) artists in the 1930’s. This became the inspiration for our mural project. As with many non-budgeted library initiatives, you look around for free or inexpensive solutions. We didn’t have to look too far for a creative solution at the right price – local student artists.

Each year we provide exhibit space in the Library community room for middle and high school art classes so parents can see their kids’ work in a non-school setting. Because of our willingness to provide space, we have always had a good relationship with the art teachers in the Marlboro Central School District. The Advanced Placement Art class exhibits were a Library staff favorite so we asked the high school art teacher if together we could provide an extra credit opportunity for the most talented students. The teacher and the kids were amenable to this. Since we were always willing to give the teachers exhibit space for their kids, they were happy to help us out with our need.

We all agreed that as an educational experience it would be important to give the artists design control. However as the director, this made me a bit nervous so I insisted on veto power over the design. Our original idea was to use art paper which would make the mural disposable if we didn’t like it. But then we thought, ‘what if we DO like it?’ We figured if we didn’t like it we could always have another class paint a new mural over it. The mural was completed in June of 2004 but the project started months prior in September. There were about seven to nine students in the AP program who worked on specific sites on the wall. Some had individual characters to draw and a few were responsible for tying it all together as one piece. They worked on the wall with self motivation and very little adult supervision which was quite impressive. As with any class project, these seniors scurried at the end to finish it before graduation but didn’t quite make it. We were relieved that three of them came back over the summer to put on the finishing touches and to sign the work. It’s been five years now and people still find it attractive. I don’t know if we’ll ever be able to paint over it.”