ERVING — While the COVID-19 virus began raising alarm in March 2020, former Erving Public Library Director Barbara Friedman recalls being skeptical of the pandemic shutting down the new library, which had just opened to the public on March 1.

“We had people sign in, so if there was a spread we could contact those people,” Friedman recalled. “Then we got cut off totally by the 18th.”

Within two weeks of opening the $5.8 million, 8,300-square-foot library, staff members were forced to close the building and pivot to virtual events, reserved book pickups, and other pandemic-safe activities and procedures to keep the library active.

Despite this rocky start, the Erving Public Library, which Friedman refers to as “Erving’s living room,” has been successful in bouncing back from the pandemic and will celebrate its fifth anniversary on Sunday, March 30.

Friedman, who was library director from 2008 until 2020, said it was an unfortunate situation. Even so, she and her small staff of Andrea Deluliis and Jean Daley found ways to ensure the library remained a part of people’s lives.

One of the services that arose during the pandemic, called “Hubbard’s Cubboards,” were lockers named after Friends of the Erving Public Library President Rebecca Hubbard. The lockers contained books and other items that people could request and pick up at the library at all hours of day.

“Those Hubbard’s Cupboards came in handy because people could call and say, ‘Give me a bunch of books on whatever, or give me a mystery, or, I have a specific [book] title — just put it in the spot, I’ll pick it up,’” Friedman said.

As the pandemic continued, a new interim director was hired, then current Director Abigail Baines started in 2022. Baines said the library was able to gain momentum as the pandemic subsided, and people were interested in participating in more programs and services, such as a Monday morning playgroup for children that sees 30 to 40 participants each week.

“People weren’t quite out and about at that point, and so it was really hit-or-miss whether or not people would come to certain things,” Baines recalled. “But now in 2025, we’re far enough from the pandemic, and the building is established, and people know to come here.”

Baines said this outreach and participation has been “incremental,” with a town newsletter helping draw attention to the library, as well as increasing open hours. The library was also able to re-establish a relationship with the Erving Elementary School to raise awareness about its child-friendly activities.

Additional programming, like after-school groups using the library’s Makers Lab, gardening programs, and free access to computers and Wi-Fi, have all grown over the five years the library has been open. Attendance numbers show this growth, with 8,000 people coming to the library in 2023 and 13,000 coming in 2024, Baines noted. She said she owes that to the larger space of the library compared to its predecessor on Route 63, as well as being in an area where people from across the region pass through frequently.

“I think people are coming out more, but I think also people are getting to know that this is a place they can come,” Baines said of this increase in foot traffic over the years. “It’s like this perfect little spot that everyone crosses through.”

With the library marking five years, Baines said Sunday’s anniversary event will be for celebrating the parts of the library people love most. The event will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. inside the library at 2 Care Drive.

Friedman will be in attendance to speak at the celebration, and members of the library trustees will be there. There will also be a photo booth and light refreshments. Attendees are invited to use dry erase markers to write what they love about libraries — and the Erving Public Library specifically — on the building’s windows. The event is free and no registration is required ahead of time.

Erin-Leigh Hoffman can be reached at ehoffman@recorder.com or 413-930-4231.