History of Swansea, Massachusetts, 1667-1917; - citizen hylbom blog

242 History of Swansea
idence of the librarian, known as the Israel Brayton house,
owned by Joseph S. Chase.
Money for the support of the institution was raised by
means of an annual membership fee of one dollar, a life
membership fee of ten dollars, and public entertainments.
The first purchase of books was made November 21, 1883,
when twenty-two cloth-bound volumes, and nine in paper
covers were added, at an expense of twenty dollars ($20).
About the first of June, 1884, the library was removed to
the vacant store-building owned by Mrs. Katharine Gardner,
where it remained until October 1, 1885, when it was located
in the old store and Post Office building, so long occupied by
Hon. John Mason, at that time the property of Hon. Frank
S. Stevens. Here it continued until its removal to the libraryroom
provided for it by the conditions of Mr. Stevens' gift of
the Town Hall to the town of Swansea, which was in September,
1891.
The following minute, taken from the records of the
Public Library Association, brings us to the close of the history
of that corporation, and to the beginning of the Free Public
Library: — *'In March, 1896, the town voted to establish a free
public library, and under provisions of the Library Act of
1890, received $100 worth of books from the Free Public
Library Commission." In May following, the association
voted to present its books and other property, with the annual
interest of $200, "subject to certain conditions" to the town.
The conditions referred to are these: "Voted,—That the
Association tranfer to the Trustees of the Swansea Free Public
Library all its books, money (which must be kept as a fund,
the interest only to be used), and all effects, on the following
conditions : 1st. The Library shall permanently continue in its
present locality. 2nd. In case the town fails to make the
necessary appropriations for its support, the Library fund and
all effects shall revert to the Association, the above conditions
having been accepted by the said Trustees, subject to the
approval of the town at its next annual meeting, a copy of
which acceptance is on the records of the Association."
The gift was accepted, and the Swansea Free Public
Library was opened September 26, 1896, with a delivery
station at North Swansea, in charge of Mrs. Mary E. Greene
another at Swansea Centre, in charge of John B. Eddy; and
a third at Hortonville, in charge of Mrs. Delmar A. Cummings.
It may be of interest to note here, that this is not the first
attempt to establish a library in this town. June 26, 1841, at
four o'clock P. M., a legally notified meeting was held in the
Union Meeting House, which stood where the Town Hall now
;