The Concord Free Public Library is one of the most unique small libraries in America. It was founded in 1873 as a public/private partnership between the non-profit Library Corporation and the Town of Concord. From the beginning, the Library Corporation has been a dedicated steward as the owner of the buildings, grounds, and special collections, and the Town has provided the outstanding staff. This successful partnership has created a dynamic and exciting community center for lifelong learning where everything is free and open to the public.
One of the distinguishing features of the Library is its art collection. The founder of the Library, William Munroe, believed that art should be a part of the Library as a way of bringing culture to the people of Concord. The Library’s Special Collections was created thanks to his vision as well as the far-sighted request by Library Committee Chairperson Ralph Waldo Emerson for citizens to donate material of local significance to ensure “an appropriate gift of the present generation to posterity.” The world-renowned William Munroe Special Collections has become the most comprehensive archive of primary and secondary source material related to Concord history, life, landscape, literature, people, and influence from 1635 to present day. It documents the colonial, revolutionary, and literary history of Concord, Massachusetts, through archival and manuscript materials, pamphlets, ephemera, broadsides, maps, photographs, paintings, sculpture, and artifacts. Among its many treasures is one of the world’s most significant collections of Louisa May Alcott’s literary manuscripts and Henry David Thoreau’s essay “Walking.”
The Concord Free Public Library has both charming, historic spaces for quiet reading, writing, and reflection as well as active social spaces for gathering. Offering stimulating activities and programs for all ages, it is a venue for art exhibitions, readings, lectures, and concerts, enriching the community’s cultural landscape.
In addition to providing traditional library materials like books and media, the public has access to a multitude of online databases, e-books, and other digital resources to meet patrons’ evolving needs. Multi-generational spaces like the The Workshop makerspace provide opportunities for hands-on learning with 3-D printers, laser cutters, and sewing machines. A Library of Things gives patrons an opportunity to borrow games, puzzles, technology equipment, and items to learn about sustainability for the home and garden, including a seed lending library.
The Goodwin Forum, named in honor of Concord authors Richard and Doris Kearns Goodwin, is a multi-use programming space fostering civic discourse, historical scholarship, intellectual growth, and love of learning. This venue reflects the Goodwins’ contributions to American political and historical thought and their love for the Town of Concord. It holds a collection of over 3,000 books from their personal library, representing their interests and research on U.S. presidents, leadership, history, poetry, and baseball.
The Concord Free Public Library is proud to be the first library in Massachusetts to be designated a “Certified Sustainable Library” through the Sustainable Libraries Initiative’s award-winning Sustainable Library Certification Program (SLCP). The Library’s Sustainability Plan not only implements sustainable practices within the Library, but provides education and awareness for sustainable living to our entire community.
We invite you to come and visit our Library and discover what makes it unique and why it is a vital part of Concord’s literary, historic, and cultural heritage. ConcordLibrary.org
All photos courtesy of Concord Free Public Library Corporation
This article made possible with the support of the Concord Free Public Library Corporation