Lucius Beebe Memorial Library, Wakefield, Mass.

Title

Greenwood Branch Library :1934

Description

The Greenwood Branch of the Beebe Town Library opened in October 1904 at the "new" Greenwood School building. According to the 1904 Town Report, the library started as a twice-weekly delivery "by an attendant" to Greenwood residents. By February 1905, 876 books had been circulated and 60 "application" cards had been requested. The Greenwood Branch Library was open on Mondays and Thursdays from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., and in January 1906 its hours were expanded to include Saturday evenings from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. The library branch was so popular that the Saturday hours were increased to 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and a room in the school was eventually dedicated to library operations on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturday, a schedule that remained in place for decades. During the early 1930s, improvements were made to the Greenwood Branch Library under the direction of Librarian Clara Wilson. The 1933 Town Report describes the library rooms as "inviting and homelike and are taking on a real place in community life. Decorations suitable to the various seasons are arranged and there is always some scene in the glass case of interest to both children and grown-ups." In 1962, the library rooms were needed for classrooms, and the branch library was moved to smaller space within the school. The branch closed in September with its books stored in the basement until its new home was finished in "conjunction" with the Greenwood Fire Station. The Greenwood Branch Library officially opened in its new home in the station on May 5, 1963.

Image from the Wakefield Municipal Gas and Light Department annual calendar, 2021

Photo courtesu of Lucius Beebe Memorial Library

Contributor

Institution: Lucius Beebe Memorial Library

Wakefield Municipal Gas & Light Department (Wakefield, Mass.)

D'Onofrio, Jayne M.

Coverage

Massachusetts--Middlesex (county)--Wakefield

Date

1934

Format

image/jpeg

Language

eng

Publisher

Wakefield, Mass. : Wakefield Municipal Gas & Light Department

Subject

Lucius Beebe Memorial Library

Type

still image

Photographs

Original Format

1 picture :black and white

Extent

32 x 18 cm.