The atmosphere in the Franklin Community Library is jubilant. Children—when they aren't parked with a book in the children's pavilion, teen arena, or stairwell—are run-walking the short maze of the small library's recently renovated footprint, often forgetting to heed the "inside voices" rule. Or they're staring slack-jawed at the kids'-area computer screen in front of them, too heavily weighed down with enormous earphones to be running in and out of the reading rooms. In short, the brightly painted library is consistently bustling with kids and adults taking advantage of its more accessible offerings. Built in 1914, the city's oldest community library reopened in May after an extensive reconstruction effort. The original stone and masonry on the building's facade was restored, as were indoor architectural elements such as the millwork and wood shelving. The elevator—a relic of an earlier renovation—was moved to regain some of the elegance of the front entryway. It worked. Other changes, such as removing interior walls and adding large rooftop skylights, open the library and manage to make it feel more spacious and cozier at the same time. An addition at the rear of the building makes room for a staff lounge, a kitchen, and unglamorous things like the mechanical room and storage space. Near the front, works by local artists hang above fireplace mantles. Above all, Franklin lives up to its name as a community library, with people streaming in and out of the building at a steady pace, some filing to the new tutor and technology rooms, others reading soundlessly wherever they can nab a spot.