Craftsbury
Public Library

About Us

The Board of Trustees

Library Volunteers

Friends of the Craftsbury Public Library

A Friends of the Craftsbury Public Library group formed in 2002 to support library service in the community through fundraising, volunteering, and serving as advocates for the library’s activities.  New members are always welcomed.  

Friends of the Craftsbury Public Library Membership Information

The Library History

Early History: 1829-1890

The Craftsbury Public Library traces its origins to the Craftsbury Academy, which was founded in 1829. In 1878 the Reverend Joseph Boardman, on behalf of the Academy’s trustees, requested the school’s principal, Reverend George W. Henderson, whose contract had expired, to continue on in that position. He agreed on the condition that the trustees establish a library for the school as well as for Craftsbury and surrounding community residents. The sum of $50 was provided for the purpose, and 200 books were purchased and donated. In 1879, the Academy suffered a fire, although the collection was spared. A separate room was made available in the new building for the collection and known as the Public Library at Craftsbury Academy.

1891-1939

In 1891 the heirs of the estate of Nathan S. Hill, a former resident of Craftsbury and trustee of the Academy (and later the Treasurer of the University of Vermont) bequeathed his collection of 600 volumes on the condition that the Library be relocated to a fireproof building. The community successfully raised $1500 for a small stone structure, which now housed 850 volumes. Additional donations of books followed in the ensuing years, notably 450 in 1893 by Mr. & Mrs. John W. Simpson and 880 in 1898 by the estate of Mary T. Crafts Hill (Nathan’s widow), increasing the Library’s total collection to 2100. In 1899 the Reverend R. C. Moodie prepared an 80-page catalogue with books arranged by the Dewey decimal classification.

In June 1898, the community organized the Craftsbury Public Library Association with 200 members joining for an annual fee of 25 cents, the purpose of which was to obtain a salary for a librarian and other necessary expenses. Miss Ida G. Dustan was chosen librarian. Miss Dustan was a daughter of Dr. Charles W. Dustan, a trustee of the Academy and a leader of the group instrumental in establishing the association.

1940 - 2003

By 1940 the Library’s collection had expanded significantly with 6607 books circulated to 561 patrons. Although the old stone library was fireproof, it proved to be an unsatisfactory repository of books. Its wood furnace was smoky and provided inadequate heating, and the dampness within the building began to damage the older books as well as the Chandler portraits of the Crafts family. In that year an association of residents, organized by librarian Mary P. Duston and her stepmother Adelaide C. Duston, chartered the Craftsbury Public Library, Inc. A small clapboard building was erected near the old library on a site gifted to it by Ruth Savage Planten. The first trustees were George B. Dunn, O. E. Barnard, Ela Dutton, and Helen Dustan. With increased usage, the building was expanded in 1953 to the edge of the property line, bringing its total area to 1100 square feet.  

The Library more than doubled its circulation, patrons and services over the last decade of the 20th Century. In 1998, a Feasibility and Needs Assessment Study prompted the trustees to begin plans for a new library. 

The New Library: 2003-present

With the formation of a Building Committee and Capital Campaign Committee, the gears were set to go forward with the plan to build a new library. The Capital Campaign set the goal to reach $500,000 within one year. This goal was reached and exceeded as over 200 community members supported the cause, along with 12 organizations, two foundations, and two government gifts.  The architect was given the mandate to design an architectural gem meeting the needs of a modern library. The Building Committee then commenced overseeing this ambition brought to a reality.  

Thanks to a wonderful gift of land on the west side of the Common, a ground breaking ceremony took place June 1, 2002. With speed and dexterity our new library rose from the ground and indeed became the architectural gem we had envisioned.  In January of 2003 a carefully orchestrated move from the old library to the new, including a "hands across the Common" chain of people passing boxes of books, took place. With the help of many volunteers, books were placed on the new shelves, furniture was put in place, the computer center was set up, and the new Children's Room came to life complete with puppet theater. The builder, Board of Trustees, and the Librarians, though still breathless from the move and the myriad of last minute details nonetheless threw a Grand Opening Celebration, attended by over 200 people, on January 25, 2003.  

The Craftsbury Public Library has evolved from simply lending and circulating books to a central source of free information and education. With computers, Internet access and a dramatic expansion of the collection and programs, the library is now a vibrant community center of activity.

At 10,000 volumes in the current collection and with over 1,300 registered borrowers, our library is indeed a leading source of literacy in our community by supporting adult education and literacy projects for children. The Craftsbury Public Library is an integral part of our community.

The Librarians

The history, growth, and quality of the Craftsbury Public Library may be viewed as a reflection of its dedicated librarians. Soon after Ida Dustan was selected librarian she married and left the area. For many years the Library was largely neglected, with books scattered throughout the community. In 1914 Miss Mary Duston became librarian, and with Adelaide recovered many of the books and reorganized and catalogued the collection, coming from the far side of town by horse and buggy from spring through fall twice a week for Library Hours. Working together until Adelaide’s death in 1959, they built this collection into a respectable, successful library. Miss Mary Duston then continued the work alone until her retirement in 1976, having served the Library for 62 years--surely a longevity record not only in Vermont, but also perhaps in the nation! Upon her retirement, the Selectmen cited her: “The pay which she then received for her service to the town was only in the happiness she afforded others.”

Three librarians followed over the ensuing nine years, Genevieve Pike, Betty Goodspeed, and Mary Cramer. They in turn were followed in 1985 by our current librarian, Linda Wells, who has proved to be an enormous asset for the Library and the community. Under her leadership, the Library has experienced dramatic growth in its resources, services provided, registered borrowers, and visitors. In 1988 the Library met the Standards for Public Libraries as set forth by the Vermont Department of Libraries and was reaffirmed in 1995.  Linda was joined in 1999 by Assistant Librarian Leslie Rowell, until 2001 when Barbara Strong became the Children's Services Director. Taffy Todd joined the Library as Assistant Librarian in 2003. The Library is now open 26.5 hours per week, up from eight hours. Working with Linda, Barbara, and Taffy are 31 volunteers who cover the main desk, edit the file catalogue, and offer general assistance to users and visitors.  Linda’s vision eighteen years ago of transforming the Library’s principal function of lending books into a critical resource providing a wide variety of programs and services has been realized. The Craftsbury Public Library has become the space, for all our community members to come together for their personal enrichment, education, and relaxation.

Updated 5.6.03

Yearly Events

Summer Reading Programs for Children are held each Wednesday at 1:30 pm during July and August.

The Annual Silver Tea, hosted by the Searchlight Club, occurs the third Sunday of July.

The Annual Plant and Food Sale, also sponsored by Searchlight to benefit the library, takes place at the end of May.

The Annual Book Sale is held on the second Saturday of July in conjunction with Antiques and Uniques on Craftsbury Common.

The Annual Meeting of the library takes place on the fourth Sunday of January.