The official history of the West Hartford Public Library began November 10, 1897 when the West Hartford Town Council voted to establish and fund a public library. However, the town’s public library was preceded by several private and community libraries that were associated with the First Church of Christ Congregational. In 1753 there was a subscription library, called the Book Society, and Deacon Noah Webster Senior was a member. In 1837, Noah Webster Junior, the lexicologist, turned over a collection of 78 books to the church for “use of any social or proprietor’s library”. From this gift evolved the West Hartford Library Association which lasted 32 years.
When the church congregation was considering plans for a new building in 1880, James Talcott offered to give $5,000 to the building campaign, if the church would provide a library that was open to the community. The offer was accepted. The new church was completed in 1882, and the Free Library of the West Hartford Congregational Church was opened in the vestry on January 3, 1883 with 800 books. The library proved to be quite popular. Its use grew, and as a result, funding became a problem for the congregation. Fortunately, the State of Connecticut enacted legislation in 1893 that provided encouragement and support for the establishment of local public libraries.
As a result of that legislation, on October 18, 1897, the Church voted to loan the library collection to the Town of West Hartford and a month later the town accepted the loan and established the West Hartford Public Library. The library continued to be located in the church vestry and the church retained ownership of its books. The West Hartford Public Library was funded by $250 annually from the town plus $200 the first year and $100 each succeeding year by the State. Miss Elizabeth Elmer was the first librarian and continued in that capacity until 1919. Miss Elmer was also the Church Librarian, the Church Clerk, and the Town Clerk.
Four years after the library was established, the Elmwood Literary Club requested that the library board of directors support a branch library in Elmwood. The board agreed to provide fifty volumes for the branch every month and the society agreed to provide quarters, management and staffing. For the next three decades the branch was housed wherever there was space, including the home of the librarian, Julia Faxon. A similar attempt was made at the time to establish a branch in the north end of town, but it was not successful.
During the first 20 years the main library’s collection grew from 2,254 volumes to 4,959. The expanding collection and the increased use made by the community indicated a need for larger quarters. The Sarah Whitman Hooker Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution mounted a campaign for a new and separate library building and raised $40,000. School children from all over town contributed their pennies to the campaign. The chapter’s efforts were successful and received the support of the Town Council. On February 27, 1917, the Noah Webster Memorial Library at 10 North Main Street was dedicated. The building, at the corner of Brace Road, is still standing and is used as an office building.
Miss Mary Ellsworth was engaged as librarian in 1919 and served until 1926. The library board determined that a professionally trained librarian was needed and Miss Margery Burditt was then hired. Under direction, changes were made in every area of library operation. In 1932 the Elmwood Branch Library was moved into permanent quarters in the old Elmwood Elementary School and the library board took over complete financial and management control of the branch. Within two decades, library use, staff (now six) and the collection had outgrown the main library building and a facility was planned and built at 20 South Main Street, the present location of the Noah Webster Memorial Library. The building was dedicated on March 19, 1938. The same year Miss Burditt resigned to get married.
Miss Vera R. Tracy was the next librarian, serving from 1938 to 1956. Throughout the war years the library was heavily used by the community. After the war, the population of West Hartford soared as the north end was developed. In the Elmwood section of town, the quarters for the branch in the old school had deteriorated badly by the early 1950’s. A new branch building, with three times the space, was approved by the Town Council in 1953. On November 28, 1954, the present building was dedicated and named in honor of Julia Faxon, who had been associated with the branch for over 40 years.
Mr. Asbury W. Schley succeeded Miss Tracy in 1956. Responding to the pressures created by a population that had reached 60,000, an addition of 22,000 square feet was planned for the main library as well as a complete redesign of the interior. The expanded and remodeled building was publicly dedicated on April 18, 1962. In the early 60’s, residents in the north end of town mounted an active campaign for a branch library in that area. Responding to the requests for service, a new branch facility was planned and property was purchased near the Bishops Corners shopping area. The North End Branch was opened February 8, 1966 and Ruth Giddings was appointed Branch Librarian. The branch was heavily used by the community right from the start and remains one of the most active branch libraries in the state. The name was later changed to the Bishops Corner Branch.
The Friends of the Library organized in 1976. For over two decades, the Friends have supported the library through sponsoring programs for cultural enrichment, improving the services and facilities of the library, and raising funds for the benefit of the library.
In 1979, Denis M. Lorenz followed Mr. Schley as library director. The library board had undertaken a study to expand the main library and the Town approved the use of CDBG funds to build a small addition and improvements to make the library accessible. A capital campaign was undertaken to remodel and equip the public areas and the West Hartford Library Foundation was established to receive gifts for the library. The improved main library was officially presented to the public on June 12, 1983. During the 80’s, the electronic revolution began to impact library operations as on-line cataloguing, information searching, and circulation systems were implemented. The library’s collections began to change as non-print items such as videocassettes and compact disks were added to its holdings.
The Bishops Corner Branch interior was updated in the mid-80’s and the branch was made accessible in 1992. The Faxon Branch received extensive renovations to the interior in 1992, and through a tremendous community effort of support and fund raising, was also made accessible in 1997.
In the mid-90’s, a milestone was reached when the card catalog was replaced by an on-line information system called CONNECT. The new system made it possible for the public to check the holdings of all three West Hartford Libraries and also the holdings of member libraries in the region and throughout the country. Moreover, the on-line system provided direct access to databases such as periodical indexes, newspaper abstracts, and community organizations. At the same time, reference resources were further expanded through the use of CD-ROM databases. As the library approaches its 100th birthday, its resources are becoming more and more a mix of traditional print and modern electronic sources.
For the beginning of the second century of service to the community, the library board has developed plans to renovate and expand the main library. The project will enable the library to meet developing needs for access to computers in the library, space for meetings and training, space for special collections, improved work space for staff, increased storage areas, as well as improved access for the entire community.
In it first one hundred years, the library has grown from a small collection of books in the vestry of the Congregational Church to a library system of three buildings with a collection of 240,000 volumes, a wide range of electronic resources, access to information sources throughout the country, and one of the highest rates of circulation of any public library in the state.