This $2.95M Home Used to Be a Library and, Wow, I’ve Never Wanted Anything More

A day ago, if you would have asked me about my dream home, I would have said something very vague and mentioned the words “glass,” “mid-century modern,” and maybe even, “Actually, don’t tell anyone but I kind of loved the house Eleanor lived in on ‘The Good Place?'” But that has all changed now that I have become aware of this house in Rockport, Massachusetts, that is now on the market for $2,950,000.

Let me give you some history about the place: The granite house at 18 Jewett Street is a “Classic Revival masterpiece” and was built in 1904. Known as “The Carnegie,” it was built as one of the 2,509 libraries built between 1883 and 1929 with donated funds from industrialist Andrew Carnegie. It functioned as the town’s library for many years, until the town needed a larger library (relatable!), when the building was transformed into a private residence.

Yes, my fellow book lovin’ nerds, this house was a freaking library. It is possible to live in a library. I thought I wanted a house with a library, but guess what I can actually buy one as a house. I made a lot of jokes about living in the library as a small child and also in college, but the joke’s on me now!

The best part of the house is it actually kind looks like a library inside still! There is a lot of natural (reading) light, the wood is light and bookish, and there is still a lot of exposed brick that, if you think back to your childhood public library, will make you say, “This reminds me of what I used to see when I was hiding from my parents at the library when they said it was time to go.”

If that’s not enough, it also comes with other great house amenities and features like a master suite, two guest bedrooms and baths, a gourmet kitchen, French doors, an underground garage, a mudroom/studio, ocean views, and a soaking tub (perfect for, hmm.. I don’t know what… reading?).

When you enter the door, there is even a beautiful rotunda surrounded by columns and an elegant Italian mosaic floor. It’s all very stately and refined. But just as a warning: It may make some people experience a very specific feeling formerly associated to walking into a library with too many fines on your card. (Speaking of fines, I probably could have bought this home with all that I owed to the Lake Zurich, McHenry Nunda, Arlington Heights, Waconda, Palatine, and Brooklyn Public Libraries over the 26 years of my life.)

The one thing the house desperately needs though? Bookshelves packed to the brim with books. I’ll volunteer mine (if I must.)