In 1833, a Unitarian minister, one Dr. Abiel Abbot, got the idea that the town should have shared access to books to give citizens the chance to improve themselves -- remember that in 1833, books were like computers today, full of information and often difficult for rural people to get access to -- and so the town, Peterborough New Hampshire, took up a collection of books and thus established the first free town library. The town website reports that at first, the collection -- about 100 books - was kept in the general store, then eventually town hall, and finally, in 1893, a building was built exclusively for the library, where it still resides today. (However, the website also makes note that a movement is afoot to replace the 1893 library building with one larger and more modern. So much for history.) Dr. Abbot's idea really caught on, not just in Peterborough but soon all across New Hampshire, and then, eventually, across the U.S. 19th and early 20th century America build town libraries to help citizens educate themselves, to make information more accessible for the citizens of a democratic society.
Sadly, in our modern age, in part because of the internet but also in part due to social trends that no longer value education and self-improvement, many states, counties and towns are closing their libraries for budgetary reasons. Indeed, as I discovered when I tried to join the Peterborough Free Public Library, it is only free to the town's citizens -- of which I am not one -- and that for us non-tax-paying foreigners, the 'Free' library in Peterborough costs $50 a year. Ouch. In investigating further afield since, I have found that for many town libraries in New Hampshire -- most of which are still largely local town-funded -- not being a resident will cost you $50 a year to join. Hmm.
