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Library History The Town of Boxford library system has a rich and rather complicated history dating back to 1796. Until 1966, both Boxford libraries were administered by two private associations rather than publicly elected trustees. During that time both library buildings, one in each village, were privately owned by those associations. In 1966, the two libraries “merged” and were governed by one common, publicly elected Board of Trustees. The Town of Boxford did not, in fact, become the sole owner of both buildings, and responsible for fully funding the libraries, until 1982. East Parish History In 1796, 111 years after the incorporation of the town, a group of East parish residents formed the Boxford Library Society, which established the first Boxford library available to residents. Many of the society members contributed books from their own private collections as well as funds to purchase new books. Society members held quarterly meetings and books could be borrowed or returned only during those meetings unless a special arrangement was made with the librarian. Only residents who belonged to the society were allowed to borrow books. The Boxford Library Society continued to serve Boxford’s library needs for over fifty years. In 1873 the Boxford Public Library, (a second private association) was established in East Parish. Books were purchased through a subscription fund and the first public-access library was located in a rented room in a private home at 15 Elm Street. In 1880 the Boxford Public Library association incorporated and purchased the Bacon house, a 12’ x 20’ structure on Elm Street. That building, together with additional space in both the Village Store and a nearby train depot, served as a library for fifty-nine years. In 1940, the entire collection was moved to the Cummings residence, located next to the Bacon House on Elm Street. In 1982 a wing was added to the back of the Cummings residence in order to improve services to the town. The library remains located at 10 Elm Street today. West Parish History Prior to 1881 the only books available to West parish residents were those owned by Second Congregational Church. In 1881, the church pastor initiated the formation of the West Parish Library Association. The first library building was tiny structure located near the church. Nineteen years later, in 1900, the West Parish Library Association was incorporated as the West Boxford Public Library Association and given the building it had been using. The same year, the town voted to divide the dog tax revenue between the East and West libraries, providing the Libraries with their first public funding. In 1930 Dr. Walter Renton Ingalls donated the construction of a brick building to be known as the Ingalls Memorial Library. The Ingalls building served the West Parish well until 1973. At this point the need for more space prompted a town vote to move the West Boxford Library to the then-unoccupied Gardner-Morse school building, where it remains to this day. This became the first town-owned library building. |
copyright Boxford Town Library
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