History

A short history of the Dover Free Library

1913

At Dover Town Meeting, five citizens were elected to serve on the Library Board of Trustees. Expenses for the year amounted to $25.00.

1916

A librarian was paid $5.00 to number the books in the collection.

1928

A subscription to National Geographic cost the library $3.60.

1971

Alice Bayles became the first professional librarian.
The library was open April through October, two hours per week.

1972

The library moved to a room in the Brick School, our present location.

1978

$9,000 was appropriated to make two small rooms into one large room for the library.

1987

$70,000 was appropriated for a two-room addition to the back of the library.

1988

The library was open 15 hours per week.

1997

The library installed an automation system; the card catalog became a thing of the past.

2002

Thanks to the Freeman Foundation, a Children's Room was added to the library.  

2003

The Community Room was organized as the home of the Vermont Collection and became available for library presentations, meetings and other public events.

2005

A big-screen multi-media system and a Gallery Wall with special lighting for art exhibits was added to the Community Room. The library also acquired DSL and more computers for public access --and launched a website.

2006

The library acquired "wi-fi" internet access and new furnishings for the Community Room. A volunteer 501(c)3 non-profit, "Friends of the Dover Free Library," was established.

2007

The library made minor renovations to the building’s interior: all of the walls were painted, a new floor was installed, shelving was added to the foyer, and new storage cabinets were installed in the workroom. The Friends of the Dover Free Library purchased and installed a muchl-needed tool shed for the library garden. In addition, the Friends sponsored a Garden Lecture Series as a benefit for the library that was held at various locations in Windham County. 

2008

The Dover Free Library endured the economic crisis: circulation reached 22,185, an increase of 3,585 over the previous year.

2009

The library updated its automated system, allowing patrons to access the library’s catalog from home, work, or school. Access World News database added to the library’s collection of newspapers from around the world. The library was selected as part of the state's FiberConnect project to receive fiber-optics internet service.

2011

Completion of the Dover Free Library's Strategic Plan for 2011-2014, a community vision that local residents, the staff and the board of trustees developed during two public forums held during the summer of 2011. 

2012

E-books became available to library patrons.

2013

The Dover Free Library celebrated its 100th anniversary on March 4th.

Photo of old cemetery on Holland Road by Carol Hatcher.
Information on the settling of the area and early history of the Town of Dover appears in the Vermont Historical Gazetteer collated by Abby Hemenway and published in 1891 by Carrie Page.