Like many libraries in Western Massachusetts and elsewhere, the Warwick Free Public Library occupies a beautiful historic building. Formerly a Baptist church, the building became the new library a century ago in 1919 — that anniversary is being celebrated this summer.
The WarwickFree Public Library had been housed in the Town Hall prior to that, in a room specially designed for it when the Town Hall was built in 1894. That room was later used by the Board of Assessors and is today the Assessor’s Office.
The library’s need back then for more space to house its growing collection coincided with the town’s decreasing population and the dwindling membership of the church. The meetinghouse was built in 1844, but in 1917 church members offered it to the town for use as a library. Following a decision by the Massachusetts Supreme Court liberating a portion of a trust fund originally earmarked for purchasing books, renovation commenced and in 1919 the building was ready for its new life.
Electricity came a decade later, and in 1998 a major addition doubled the library’s size to house the children’s collection and a new main entrance into a reception area sporting an attractive front desk. The simplicity and features of the building’s Greek Revival style, such as the large face boards, were retained.
Inside, the older structure boasts a stately, if subdued grandeur, with a high cove ceiling and impressive fireplace. It’s hard to conceive of the fireplace having been used, given the proximity of so many books. The original oil lamps remain, long since electrified, and a pew thought to be from the original meetinghouse sits across from the main desk. The pew is very popular on Saturday mornings when, except in summer, the library livens up with locals enjoying coffee and homemade baked goods, banter and good cheer.
To help celebrate the building’s 100th anniversary, the Warwick library has invited residents to submit a poem to its “Page 100 Found Poetry” event: The reader takes a favorite book and make a copy of page 100, then selects words on the page to highlight to make a uniquely fresh poem. Add a splash of artwork and voila. The poems will be displayed around the week of Warwick’s Old Home Days, held Aug. 24 and 25.
The Warwick library is also preparing a historical display featuring, among other things, the original blueprints for the 1919 renovation. The accompanying specs prescribe using “the boards of the old seats” (from the meetinghouse) “with as little cutting as possible to make the low cases of bookshelves.”
It might interest some to know that prior to Town Hall, the library had been located in a succession of private homes — the last being the house of summer resident William Howard, who bequeathed it to the town in 1880. Even earlier, when it had a different name and was not yet “public,” the library was housed in the store of William Cobb, who served as librarian for 30 years and died in 1853. Coincidentally, or not, Cobb’s house, just down the street from the library, is now home to the current librarian.
As I come to the end of my first year as the librarian, I feel I would be remiss not to honor those who stewarded the Warwick Free Public Library over the past century: Mrs. Mary C. Cole served as librarian from 1919 to 1952, succeeded by Mrs. Eleanor Morris, who served until her death in 1957. Mrs. Grace C. Morse then served until 1971, followed by Janet Alden until 1976. Beverly Fisher then served until 1984, when my predecessor, Nancy Hickler, took the reigns.
Finally, I’d like to acknowledge the sources for much of the material presented here: “Warwick: Biography of a Town” by Charles A. Morse (1967) and the “Warwick Historical Society’s Historic Houses of Warwick.”
Ivan Ussach is library director of the Warwick Free Public Library. He can be reached at the library at 978-544-7866.