New Bedford, Massachusetts -The City of New Bedford has begun extensive renovations of the Sister Avelar Community Center, at 58 Crapo Street, that houses the Casa da Saudade Branch Library. As of Monday, September 29, the Casa Branch Library will be closed for approximately eight weeks. To continue serving the Portuguese-speaking community, a small part of Casa’s Portuguese collection will be sent to the Wilks and Howland Green branch libraries. Wilks, at 1911 Acushnet Avenue, will receive some magazines, adult fiction, adult nonfiction, and children’s books while Howland-Green, at 3 Rodney French Boulevard, will receive adult fiction and nonfiction and the majority of the newspapers and magazines. Casa da Saudade patrons will be able to pick up their on-hold items at Howland-Green.

When the project is completed, the Casa Branch will have new shelving, repaired and newly painted walls, new carpeting, more public space, more storage space, and a new meeting room. On the exterior of the building, bricks will be repointed and the chimney will be repaired. Improvements will also be made to the other areas of the building that contain two organizations in the Sister Avelar Community Center: the Immigrants Assistance Center and the Portuguese Official School.

Funding for the renovation was provided by a federal grant from the department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Elizabeth Treadup (Mayor's Office)

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