The Rowley Public Library celebrates its founding 125 years ago
In May of 1890 the “Free Public Library Commission of Massachusetts” (now the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners) was established “to promote the establishment and efficiency of Free Public Libraries.” Less than a year later, at the March 9, 1891 Rowley Town Meeting, appeared Art. 14, reading: To see if the town will accept the provisions of Chap. 347, Acts of 1890, and elect a board of library trustees as provided in Chap. 304 of the Acts of 1888 and to appropriate such sum of money to give effect to the same as they may think necessary.
As a result of a positive vote on Article 14, the existing “Rowley Book Club” private library, that had been established by Susan and Frederick Todd, donated the books in their collection under the agreement that all funds collected through the Town’s dog license fund would go toward maintaining the public library and, if those funds should equal less than $100 annually, the Town would make up the difference. The original collection of 1,233 books was made up of the Book Club’s collection together with private donations and another from the State.
The Rowley Free Public Library opened in August of that year, in the home of the first Librarian, Mrs. Benjamin Mighill. When the Town Hall building was built in 1904, the Library occupied what is now the Selectmen’s office, and remained there until 1968, when it moved into the old Ezekial Rogers School. The current, 13,000 square foot Library opened in 2004. It was built with a grant from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, an appropriation from the town (an override of the so-called proposition 2 1/2 approved by the voters) and private donations. The Friends of the Rowley Library also managed a capital campaign for landscaping and other beautification items.
The current Board of Trustees, along with the Library staff, Friends of the Rowley Library, Inc, and many supportive patrons spent the year 2016 celebrating the Quasquicentennial (125th) Anniversary of the founding of the Library. The first event, in March, was a Mobile-Mini-Golf, in which the entire library was transformed into a mini-golf course. About 150 families and people of all ages putted their way through the course, including town dignitaries and local Rotarians, who challenged the Junior Rotarians to a match.
In the spring, the third annual Rowley Reads Community Read organizers acknowledged the Anniversary by selecting HG Wells classic The Time Machine, which was published in 1895, as their town-wide read. The themes of looking backward in time to honor our heritage as well as forward to celebrate our future resonated. There were several community events held on the time-travel theme, including Dr. Who day, and culminating with an afternoon tea on May Day.
Next the Trustees solicited nominations from the community for “Human Libraries.” Inspired by the traditional African proverb “When an old man dies, a library burns to the ground,” the idea was to honor those individuals possessing singular experience, knowledge, and stories to share. The twelve nominees were recognized at a celebration and Library Birthday Party. Citations were delivered from the Governor, State Senate and House of Representatives, and the Board of Selectmen. The hundreds of guests clasped hands outside and surrounded the Library to show their support by giving it a hug, before partaking of the Birthday Cake, which was decorated with a new logo that was commissioned by the Friends of the Rowley Library for the occasion.
