West Stockbridge Public Library

History:

At an annual town meeting April 6, 1891, an article was adopted to establish a public library.

A board of library trustees was elected and money appropriated for it. The following report was made: "The Trustees met and organized May 19, 1891, and C.W. Kniffin was chosen Chairman... J.C. Carpenter, secretary, filed certificates with the Chairman of the the State Library Commission and the rules and regulations were adopted for the care and control of the library....We have received from the state one hundred dollars' worth of books, Consisting of 169 volumes and 155 volumes purchased and contributed by individuals making a total of 325 volumes."

C.W. Kniffin presented the use of a room over his store to the town and it was fitted up as a library.

The library was opened to the public June 20, 1891. Mrs. Julian Williams performed the duties of librarian. She received no compensation for that year.

A large portion of the volumes were non-fiction. Miss Grace Wheeler and other teachers gave an entertainment at the Town Hall and raised money to purchase 71 fiction volumes.

The library outgrew the room in the Kniffin block and moved to the first floor of the Town Hall in the early 1900's where it was located until November 2006. At that time the library moved to its present location at the new Town Hall, 21 State Line Road.