 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
The Eastham Public Library Legacy How will a new library enhance Eastham? FAQs - Frequently Asked Questions An Essential Community Resource!
|
The Eastham Public Library Legacy Initially, our library was a room over the general store owned by George H. Clark that also housed the Post Office. The building was on Samoset Road, west of the railroad tracks. 1878 - The Town appropriated $175 for a Town Library. 1887 - William H. Nickerson gave land at the present site to the Village Improvement Society (V.I.S.) whose members had raised funds to build a separate library. (Their initials are still found over the entrance to the present building.) 1897 - The V.I.S. holds fundraising socials to raise money for a library building. The land was donated. The building cost $885.35. November 1897 - the library is built and leased to the town by the V.I.S. January 8, 1898 - The trustees open the doors of the new library on Samoset Road to the public. 1903 - The library building is raised, a basement built, and a furnace is installed. For the next 30 years there were library branches in private homes in North and South Eastham to which books were delivered every two weeks. The V.I.S. sells the library to the town for $1.00. The town received $1,000 from the will of Robert C. Billings “...for the purposes of the Public Library ...” and $14,000 from the same will to establish a permanent fund for the library. 1907 - Water came to the library via a pump house next to the pond. 1916 - Well and pump installed in the building. 1927 - Library building wired for electricity. 1934 - Library gets its first toilet. 1960 - The population of Eastham had doubled (from 602 to 1200). Annual library circulation increased nearly twenty-fold (from 715 to 12,648). The collection had grown from 864 to 6,200 volumes. 1961 - First library addition is built. 1970 - Circulation of its 11,400 volumes had risen to nearly 20,000. 1972 - Trustees spend $500 on plans for remodeling and expanding the library, but nothing comes of it as there is no project money available. 1977 - The “Merrill Room,” on the library's ground floor, intended for "community gatherings," is renovated. 1980 - Merrill Room converted into a children's room 1986 - Town Meeting votes $695,000 to fund a library renovation. 1988 - Second major addition made. Current library building opens 1998 - Town purchases property next to the library for future expansion. 2005 - Library receives Planning and Design Grant from MA Board of Library Commissioners to plan for library renovation and expansion. 2010 - The shelves hold more than 45,000 items in a collection of books, magazines, videos, music, spoken word recordings, puzzles, and computer software. The annual circulation has soared over 100,000 since 2000.
|
