Former Wilmington car dealership begins new life as NoMa Library for creators and community in Delaware

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A former car dealership on North Market Street is getting a second life — this time as one of Wilmington’s newest public libraries.

The Wilmington Public Library system will officially open its newest location, the NoMa Library, situated at 3905 N. Market St., on Aug. 29. Ahead of its grand opening, the branch is hosting soft openings every Saturday, giving residents a preview of what library leaders call the system’s new “Think Do Hub.”

NoMa, short for North Market, is a state-of-the-art facility that includes a recording studio, maker space, digital lab, dance studio, kitchen, rooftop terrace, eight study rooms, a pop-up retail space for small businesses and an outdoor sensory playground.

Billy Allen, library branch manager, said the center was designed to be more than a place to borrow books.

“We’re here to inspire the community through innovation, creation,” he said. “This is for the content creator, the business owner, a safe space for teens, programming for adults. We got a theater, we got a teaching pantry, a maker space. Literally, this is taking service to the community to the next level through the library.”

Allen said transforming the former automobile dealership into a library symbolizes a new chapter for the neighborhood.

“This used to be an old car dealership, and then the contractors and all [the] architects just transformed this building [in] to a library that I ain’t ever seen before,” Allen said. “I’ve been a librarian for 10 years, and when you walk into this branch, you’re going to feel the energy, you’re going to find something for everybody, and that’s what the library represents. We welcome everyone.”

Unlike the nearby North Wilmington Branch Library, Allen said the NoMa branch was intentionally designed to complement rather than replace its sister location.

“The goal is to create a campus vibe for the library,” he said. “So, if you’re looking for the story times, you can go to North Wilmington Library, go to the crafts. And then afterwards for the adults, [go to NoMa]. You got something for everybody, right? And I think [that’s] just the inspiration of providing more resources and providing more spaces for creation and innovation.”

While the North Wilmington Branch Library will continue to focus on children’s programming, NoMa’s primary audience is for older parties.

“So the NoMa library’s targeted audience is for the teens, grown adults, and senior citizens, and even families, because we got a sensory playground for the kids and the families,” he said. “But if you’re looking for youth services programs — the story times, the crafts — they will be at our sister branch, the North Wilmington branch, which is two blocks up the street.”

Allen said the new library is intended to serve entrepreneurs, creators, students and families alike by offering free access to technology and community spaces that might otherwise be difficult to afford.

“The library is the staple of the community,” Allen said. “We probably are the last entity that welcomes all walks of life without judgment … the library. Everything in the library is free. I think we want to connect the community and that’s [through] the library.”

The NoMa Library’s grand opening will take place Saturday, Aug. 29th, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. In the meantime, the public can visit the new location weekly during its Saturday soft launch openings. Once open, the branch will operate Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Editor’s Note: This article was updated to correct the address of the NoMa Library. WHYY News produces independent, fact-based news content for audiences in Greater Philadelphia, Delaware and South Jersey.