A Brief History of
The Northville Public Library

The Library

A long-time interest in establishing a Library in the village of Northville finally resulted in the formation of a group of interested citizens, about 1979-80, to begin planning for a facility. Between 1980-1984, this group secured a site and building on South Third Street and started work on preparing the building and sorting and processing the books that had accumulated.

The Northville Book Station opened to the public on September 22, 1984. In April 1986, a recommendation to the State Education Department Library Development Office to have the Book Station become a School District Library, was approved. A proposition was presented to the NCS Board of Education and, with much community support, a budget and nine Library Board members were approved at the June 10, 1986 school meeting.

A provisional 5-year charter was granted on September 28, 1986. Soon after, the Northville Public Library became the 14th. member of the Mohawk Valley Library Association. Steady growth of the library's holdings and programs followed. Michael S. Burnett (BA, MA, MLS) of Gloversville was hired and became Library Director in 1991 and in September of that year, the Library celebrated the receipt of its permanent charter from the State.

When it soon became apparent that Library space was insufficient, by 1992, additional space was made available on the 2nd. floor and renovations to the facility were performed as a stop-gap measure. In October, 1997, a ground breaking ceremony inaugurated the development of a 2800 sq.ft. addition and full renovation of the existing building and grounds. In January 1999, the library holdings were moved into the new addition. Since then the Library has added a computer cluster and an online circulation system and has held numerous programs in their Margaret Hamm Memorial meeting room.

The Friends of the Library

In November, 1985, the first steps were taken toward forming a Friends Organization in Northville. Throughout the early years the many fund-raisers, organized by the Friends, helped to keep the library doors open. The May Village-Wide Yard Sale (1987+), the Ice Cream Social (1987+), the Holiday Cookie Sale (1988+), the 4th. of July Book Sale, known now as the Mammoth Book Sale,(1989+) and what started as the Dine-Out Raffle (1991+); all of these now held on a yearly basis.

Over the years, these fund-raisers have become increasingly successful and have enabled the Friends to sponsor many programs, donate funds and to purchase books and other needed items for the library. At the time of the Building Expansion Program, the Friends contributed more thatn $27,000.

Throughout the years, the Friends has held an Annual Meeting in May, open to the public and offering a variety of programs. The first Friends Newsletter was published in December 1988 and it continues with three issues per year. In 1999, the Friends established a web site for the Library and began sponsoring the pre-school Storytime Programs and the Coffee House Reading Nights. Recently, they organized a New Baby Reading Program for the community. Membership in the Friends has grown to over 300. Return to Top of Page