With the help of generous donations, Easton Legacy Fund aims to help Easton not-for-profits support and give back to the town through various projects. Below, we highlight the Ames Free Library, which we feel is a strong consideration for future Legacy Fund grants.
The Ames Free Library
53 Main Street, North Easton | Visit Site
The Ames Free Library is one of Oliver Ames, Jr.’s lasting gifts to the people of Easton. Established by a gift from Ames in 1877, built by the renowned H.H. Richardson, and opened in 1883, the Library has been a landmark site on Main Street for nearly 150 years. In addition to
providing standard (and some innovative!) library services to our community, the building represents a historical and architectural destination for people from throughout New England and beyond. The library has twice been recognized as a finalist for the “Best Small Library in
America,” a national award designated to showcase outstanding service to populations of 25,000 or less.
The William Hadwen Ames Memorial Room was opened as the children’s room in 1931, which was quite forward-thinking at a time when children were only beginning to be welcomed into libraries. The bright and spacious room still serves as home to our Youth Services department, serving families and children from birth through the early teen years. Also part of our library campus, the Queset House (1854) and Queset Garden provide extra space, indoor and out, for library programming, community meetings and events, and anyone seeking a leisurely place to read, study, or chat. Over 60,000 patrons visited the library last year, with another 21,000 stopping by the Queset House.
The Ames Free Library’s motto is: Where the Community Connects. We provide materials and services to help the residents of Easton obtain information to meet their personal, educational, professional, and recreational needs. Emphasis is placed upon supporting students of all ages, particularly stimulating younger children’s interest and appreciation for reading and learning. The library serves as a learning and educational center for all residents of the community. Increasingly, these community needs are met using our computers, wi-fi connection, and online resources.
In addition to providing free materials, free access to technology, and free spaces to gather, the library focuses heavily on community engagement in the form of events, programs, and workshops. Last year, the library hosted over 1,200 programs, attracting nearly 11,700 participants! We host year-round book clubs and storytimes, and feature seasonal programming for adults, teens, and children. The annual Summer Reading Program is our most impactful program; we challenge readers (and listeners) of all ages to continue reading and learning through the summer months, and patrons who participate are eligible for small incentive prizes and raffle items. We also bring in cultural programs and performances for all age groups throughout the year.
Functioning in historic buildings does come with its challenges. Both the Library and the Queset House are frequently in need of ongoing physical maintenance, large (leaky roofs) and small (outdoor light fixtures). Moving forward, we need to upgrade both buildings’ IT infrastructure. Additionally, we hope to continue providing the programs that our patrons enjoy each summer.
Bill Ames
Ames Free Library Board Member
My tenure on the library board is now 46 years. In 1977 I replaced Bill Parker on the board. He was married to my cousin Elise Ames whose great-grandfather Oliver Ames (1807-1877) donated the library. My father and mother David and Elizabeth were both on the board. My father had been president since 1955. My mother was on the board for over 50 years. Amazing indeed. We met in the basement under the Children’s Room. It was unimproved with mold everywhere. The ceiling was low and the lighting was minimal — a long way from today’s brightly painted area. Back in those days, the board met quarterly. Until the 1960s, the librarian did not attend the meetings. The librarian would type up her report and submit it for the board’s discussion. The addition of the Children’s Wing was in 1931 and because of its large size has never needed improvements. Until recent years parking for the patrons was on the street. Seems incredible but there were never any real accidents. When you wanted a book, you submitted a form to the librarian and she would get it for you. I was elected president in 1982 and served for several years whereupon Ed White took over as part of the evolution from a private library to a quasi-public configuration. This evolution included providing the staff with better pay and expanding the facilities. The board became very active in making it all happen. I am on the Building and Endowment Committee whose function is to look after the Buildings, Landscape, and, most of all, the Endowments which the library is fortunate to possess. In 2009 we purchased Queset House located on the north side of our property line. This purchase was important because we had been long thwarted in our plans to expand the library building. A difficult experience but our struggle had a very happy ending with its purchase. In addition, we became the owners of the Queset Garden located between the two buildings. Both of these properties have become successful for the library well indeed beyond our fondest dreams. Lastly, we are very proud that along the way the library was twice a finalist in the Best Small Town Library in American competition. It has been quite a journey for our talented staff as well as for the board.