One by one, the boys and girls standing on the Barrington Library auditorium stage grabbed the microphone and shared their love for the library.

One girl spoke about how excited she was when she first got her library card.

Another said she liked stopping to see Rudy, the guinea pig who lives in the children's room.

And one said she thought the stools in the children's room were very helpful when she needed to reach a book on a high shelf.

The children's messages highlighted an hour-long presentation on Thursday night, April 30, about the proposed $1.2 million library renovation bond. If approved by voters at the May 27 financial town meeting, the bond would be combined with private donations and grants to pay for a $2.7 million renovation of the second floor library space.

Much of the renovation would focus on the children's room, which has remained mostly unchanged since it opened in 1984.

Barrington Library Director Deborah Barchi explained how the project would have very little impact on taxpayers. The project is eligible for a 50 percent reimbursement through the Public Library Reimbursement Program — the $1.2 million bond (and any interest) would be paid off by the program. Approximately $500,000 will come from foundations and grants and another $1 million would be from philanthropy and donations (including $25,000 from the group Friends of Barrington Public Library).

Ms. Barchi said the library completed a similar renovation of its first floor space about 10 years ago and was fortunate to receive a unanimous vote at that financial town meeting when a bond for the work was proposed. She said she was hoping for another unanimous vote at this year's meeting.

"But I'll settle for a large majority," she added.

Ms. Barchi and members of the fund-raising committee asked those at the meeting to attend the May 27 financial town meeting and support the bond. They also asked everyone to spread the word around town.

The building that contains the Barrington Public Library (as well as the senior center and Tap-In headquarters) was constructed in 1916 and used initially as a school. In 1980, the school closed, and four years later the building re-opened as the library.

During that last 30 years or so very little has changed at the library, said Ms. Barchi.

A slide presentation showed pictures of the wall-to-wall carpeting inside the children's room, which appeared frayed and buckled in spots.

"Things are just worn out," she said.

The renovation, which would also include work to the auditorium and gallery as well as offices and meeting rooms, would impact much of the 14,000 square feet of second floor space.