About

Our Mission

Vision:
To be a community meeting house for learning, growth and more.

Mission:

To strengthen our community by:

Inspiring lifelong learning, reading and literacy,

Encouraging creativity, innovation and community education,

Facilitating social interactions and the exchange of information, and

Providing cultural enrichment.

Our History

The Georgian-styled library, designed by renowned architect, William G. Perry, was constructed
in 1917 at its present location, the center of the town, on the corner of Main and Pleasant Streets,
to serve a population of 2,100. The land and building were given by Granville Dailey as a
memorial to his wife and daughter.
By the late 1950s, a growing population prompted the renovation of the lower level into a
children’s area. In 1980, as the population reached 10,000, the town appropriated $395,000 to
purchase and renovate the adjacent and recently vacated rectory of Saint Edward’s Church. The
annexing of this building doubled the size of the original library to 9,880 square feet and
provided a new meeting room, children’s room, periodical and reference rooms, young adult
area, office space and basement book stacks.
As circulation dramatically increased in the 1990s, the town supported a $3.2 million project to
demolish the former rectory, build a major addition in its place, and renovate the original
structure. The library was moved to temporary quarters for one year. On May 3, 1998, the new
library with 18,876 square feet was dedicated and officially opened to the public. The Boston
architectural firm of Stahl Associates designed a new wing that complemented the original
architecture in building materials and appearance. The firm designed a state of the art,
universally accessible facility on three levels with meeting, program and study rooms for adults,
young adults and children to engage in quiet and noisy activities, as individuals and groups, and
sufficient space for growth of the collections.
In the last five years, the library staff has worked to keep pace with the evolving needs of the
community and emerging technologies. Stacks were reduced and reconfigured with shortened
runs and aisle, and shelving was installed in the Friends’ Room and staff spaces. A larger play
area, staff office space, public lounge areas, display spaces, group workspaces and two teen areas
were created. Capital improvements to the facility were made: replacement of all the rooftop air
handling units, boiler, circulator pumps, water coolers, security system, exterior handrails, and
two thirds of the carpet. Data ports and electrical outlets were added. The facility was cleaned,