In 1887, the town of West Hartford opened the first public library from a donation of books from Noah Webster. Susan Hansen is the manager of the Bishop Corner Branch. They provide books, DVD's, CD's, magazines, and research data bases, to name a few. They also have many groups and classes available at the library.
The East Granby Public Library was organized in 1922 by residents of the town. It was originally housed in the balcony of the Congregational Church. The library is almost entirely community-supported and partially funded by grants. It has been in its current home at 24 Center Street in East Granby Center since 2001.
Learn how to quilt or hone your computer skills. Choose from 36,000 books, movies, audiobooks and CDs. Drop in and use the new business resource center or check out the latest art exhibit.
The Noah Webster House museum is located in the historic house where Noah Webster was born in 1758 and lived as a child. Noah Webster created the first American dictionary and the Blue-Backed Speller, a widely used schoolbook for American children. The Noah Webster Foundation restored Webster's home and opened it as a museum in the late 1960s. About 10,000 schoolchildren and thousands of others visit the museum every year. Workshops, summer camps and a history club are just a few of the activities sponsored by the museum, which is also available for rent for private events. In addition to the museum, the site is the home of the West Hartford Historical Society.
Welles-Turner Memorial Library offers books and other media, facilities and professional services. Programs include children's services, adult services, teen services, downloadable books and music, online databases and resources, summer reading programs and a host of community talks and programs.
The Barney Library, a branch of the Farmington libraries, was built in 1919 in the Farmington Village. It was thus called the Village Library until 1999 when it was renamed in honor of D. Newton Barney, who had commissioned the library building, and the Barney family which had been active in Farmington for many years. The Village Library was Farmington's only library until 1983, when the main library was built on Monteith Drive. Today the Barney Library hosts many community programs including musicians, storytellers, authors and programs for children.
The Barney Branch recently underwent a $3 million renovation project to make the building more accessible to people with physical disabilities and mothers with small children.
The Hall Memorial Library is the public library in Ellington. It serves as a place where people can come do research, relax with a good book, get some work done in a quiet place, or take part in a program that the library offers.
The library has a collection volume of approximately 35,000 in various media. It also has large print materials for people who need it, music, movies and puzzles and puppets for children. At the library, there is a reference service, online public access catalog, interlibrary loan service, public internet access and computers, printers, typewriters, photocopiers, fax machines, and microform readers/printers for public use. There are also meeting rooms that are available for public use. Programs for people of all ages are also available at the library, as is a used bookstore.
Library cards are available to all Ellington residents and can be obtained with identification and proof of residency. Children may apply for a library card after completing kindergarten.
Since 1986, Friends of Hall Memorial Library has worked to promote and support the library in the community. In the past year, the group has funded Wi-Fi service and summer reading programs as well as museum and local attraction passes. It also purchased a podium with microphone and speaker system and a digital projector.
Semi-annual book sales, December cookie sales and the Book Cellar store raise the funds to provide materials, equipment and books that would not otherwise be available at the library. The Book Cellar store is located in the basement of the library.
Membership in Friends of Hall Memorial Library is open to all interested people, businesses and organizations.
The East Glastonbury Public Library is part of Glastonbury's library system and is located on Neipsic Road. Limited services are available.
The town's main library -- officially the Noah Webster Library -- is a bustling place, with a teen room, children's room, writers' groups, a speakers' series, computer classes and programs for residents of all ages. The town established the West Hartford Public Library in 1897, although it had a distinguished forerunner in a subscription library organized by Congregational Church members. That library was bolstered in 1837 by a gift of 78 books from town native Noah Webster himself. The building that now houses the main library opened in 1938, and has been expanded and renovated a number of times over the years. The non-profit Friends of the West Hartford Public Library supports the library and its programs through used book sales and an annual membership drive.