NH Library Profile

This installment in our NH Library Profiles series was contributed by Deborah Longo, Library Director at the Somersworth Public Library, Somersworth, NH. 

Somersworth Public Library, 2015

Somersworth community leaders founded the Manufacturers & Village Library in 1841 to further the education of the 1,500 factory girls working for the Great Falls Manufacturing Company. The first printed catalog listed 1,627 books acquired after five years. By 1887, the library’s directors had leased the second floor of the newly built Chandler Building, moving the library from the mill’s counting house during a time when town and mill relations soured. The library remained in the Chandler Building for 78 years. But in 1899, the library’s name changed when the Manufacturers & Village Library became the newly established and tax-supported Somersworth Public Library.

Chandler Building, Somersworth, NH

By the mid-1960s, the Chandler Building was slated for demolition with the wave of urban renewal sweeping New England. A new site was found on Main Street and the new library held their open house in December 1969. Recent renovations have included air conditioning, carpeting, as well as new furniture provided by the Friends of the Library. New entrances and landscaping have given the library a wonderful facelift to fit in with the City’s multi-million dollar downtown renovation project completed this summer.

Currently the Somersworth Public Library houses a vibrant collection of over 43,000 books, movies, magazines and audiobooks to meet the needs of our community. The library belongs to the NH Downloadable Book Service to bring eBooks, audiobooks and magazines directly to our patrons’ electronic devices. Other services include book discussions, public computers, 24/7 WiFi, and museum passes. The dedicated staff assists each person who enters the library with care, personal attention and professional service, using all resources available both locally and state-wide, To learn more about the Somersworth Public Library, visit our city website at http://www.somersworth.com/departments-services/library and our online catalog at http://somersworth.nhais.bywatersolutions.com/

NH Library Profile

This is the first in what we hope will be a semi-regular series of guest blog posts about the many wonderful libraries in our state. This post on the Amherst Town Library was contributed by Jane Martina. Jane is currently a library assistant and local history collection intern at the Amherst Town Library. She is a junior at Colby-Sawyer College.

Amherst Town Library, ca. 1911-1925

The origins of the Amherst Town Library date back to 1797, when a group of citizens founded the Amherst Library Society. After 32 years, the Amherst Library Society disbanded and their book collection was sold at auction. By 1859, a voluntary group known as the Amherst Library Association created a 300 book collection that resided at Librarian, George K. Walker’s store. In 1871 it was moved to the petit jury room at Town Hall. Twenty-One years later, in 1892, the town of Amherst built their first Library building. At the dedication of the Library on April 30, 1892, the famous artist Gilbert Stuart’s portrait of Amherst’s prominent lawyer and politician, Charles Humphrey Atherton, was presented to the Library. His portrait can still be seen today behind the circulation desk.  By 1907, the Library had outgrown their original building prompting the first renovation.  Upon completion of the renovation on March 9, 1911, the Library had tripled in size and was officially recognized as the Amherst Town Library. Since then the Library has undergone two more renovations in 1971, 1987.  In 2014, new paint and carpet and some different shelving and furniture freshened the library’s interior and make the arrangement better suited for current use.

 

Amherst Town Library, ca. 2013

 

Today the Amherst Town Library’s collection has grown exponentially from its early beginnings to 65,630 items, ranging from books/eBooks and magazines to DVDs and audiobooks. Not only has the collection grown in size, but also as the town has grown so has the number of library patrons. Currently, the Amherst Town Library has 5,565 active cards holders. The Amherst Town Library is a member of GMILCS, Inc. a nonprofit corporation of 12 public and academic New Hampshire libraries that share an integrated system. Along with sharing materials, the Amherst Town Library provides a number of services ranging from programs and meeting rooms to public computers/laptops, 3D printing and research assistance.  As the Library changes one thing has remained the same, our commitment to “[providing] all community residents with materials and services for their information, education, and entertainment needs.” Each of our staff members and trustees uphold this mission by providing caring, innovative, quality, and professional services to each individual patron and the community at large.

To find out more about our history, services, collection, and events happening at the Amherst Town Library visit our website www.amherstlibrary.org