History of the Library
The Essex Library Association was born in 1889, when Dr. W.A. Russell donated 50 books from his personal library to a group of Essex residents who wanted to start a circulating library for themselves and their friends. Dr. Russell offered the room over his office (the site of the present day Talbott's) to house the collection, which by 1890 numbered 1186 volumes. Mr. C.S. Munger was named the first librarian of record. With the constant growth of the collection, the hunt for a larger building began in 1894 and that same year, the Association purchased land on South Main Street for $250. Undaunted by the fact that they did not posses this huge sum of money, they held a fair in the fall of 1895 and raised $366. In 1897, Captain Josiah Tucker willed to the library three paintings of ships he had commanded, and $5000 to construct a new building and one year later, the library moved to its new "Queen Anne Cottage Style" building at 3 South Main Street . In 1924, the library was open to the general public for the first time. This same year, "Gramma" Lord was hired as head librarian, a post she held for thirty years. When she retired in 1954, the town of Essex had lost a legendary fixture. In 1955, Mrs. Frederick Williams was hired and promptly created children's literature and reference sections and regularly scheduled story hours were inaugurated. By 1967, the collection had outgrown its quarters on South Main St. and since no adjacent land was available, the search began for an appropriate site for a new library building. In 1976, the Hyatt property on the corner of West Avenue and Grove Street was purchased and a fund raising committee went into full swing to raise the costs of construction. Construction was begun the following year. Two years later four determined ladies, Joan Duys, Ginnie Freeman, Dodie Harris and Jeanne Byrne established the Friends of the Essex Library which began its tradition of giving invaluable support to the needs of the library.
As the time neared to move the collection to its new quarters, librarian Anne Penniman formed long-term plans for the improvement of library services. Obsolete books were cleared out, reference and non-fiction areas were updated and hours were extended. In 1984, dubbed the "year of the great shifting" by Mrs. Penniman, every single book in the library collection was moved as the library was reorganized. By 1987, circulation had doubled and the need for future expansion was already being discussed. In 1999, current Director Bridget Quinn-Carey was hired and immediately embarked on a mission to bring the library into the Computer Age. In 2001, the library catalog was automated and patrons were issued new barcoded library cards. Computers were also made available for patron use and the library established a presence on the Internet. Under Quinn Carey, circulation tripled to 56,000 and grew to more than 4,700 card holders. Programs for both children and adults drew standing room only crowds. The need for more library space became imperative and resulted in the very successful capital campaign, The Next Chapter. Quinn-Carey and our Capital Campaign Committee of devoted supporters worked tirelessly to realize the construction of the new wing behind the library on Grove St . The Next Chapter of the Essex Library Association is now a reality.
