A giant scissors, a colorful mural, and excited first graders all added to the festive atmosphere at the Feb. 29 opening of the Library Oasis at the Northfield Community Resource Center (NCRC), 1651 Jefferson Parkway.

Library Director Natalie Draper thanked the many people involved in the planning of Northfield’s first library branch, including city officials, community partners, and the library board, friends, and staff.

“All of this here today is about gratitude and acknowledging the labor, dedication, support, and vision of the helpers, because without them, we would not be here to dedicate this space to the community,” Draper said.

Bill North, vice chair of the Friends and Foundation of the Northfield Public Library, said the group was able to meet its $100,000 fundraising goal in one year instead of the planned three years because of the community’s commitment to improving access to library services.

“When Natalie Draper identified the opportunity to open a branch library at the NCRC, the Friends immediately saw the powerful and positive ways in which this would benefit the community and allow the library and its fantastic staff to do what it does best —support all Northfielders in their individual and collective learning journeys,” North said.

The Library Oasis is located on the first floor of the NCRC between the Community Action Center lobby and the Head Start wing. It’s down the hall or down the stairs from other community services and organizations, and it’s within walking distance of Bridgewater Elementary School, Northfield High School, Northfield Middle School, and the surrounding neighborhoods.

It will be staffed from 8 a.m. to noon Monday through Friday, and materials will be available on a self-serve basis as long as the building is open to the public — typically between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays via the Community Action Center entrance and on Saturdays via the FiftyNorth entrance. During the Northfield Community College Collaborative academic year, the space is open until 7 p.m. For more information, click here.