Library History

1875 Woods Hole Social Library formed by the people of Woods Hole. Location moved several times.
1910 Woods Hole Public Library Corporation formed.
1913 Library moved to new fieldstone building on Woods Hole Road.
1952 Addition completed, doubling original size of building.
1953 Franklin L. Gifford paintings of Woods Hole given to library by Gifford family.
1974  Woods Hole Historical Collection Committee formed to establish museum and archives at Bradley House, adjacent to library building.
1981 Bequest received from estate of Thomas G. Ratcliffe, establishing library endowment.
1990 Opening of completely renovated and enlarged library building.
2005 Library began circulating its materials on CLAMS network.
2010 Library celebrates centennial of its incorporation.

The Woods Hole Library began as the Woods Hole Social Library in 1875 and was chartered as a public library in 1910.  It was housed in various locations in the village until 1913 when it moved into its new fieldstone building on Woods Hole Road. In 1952 an addition doubled the library’s original size. The Woods Hole Historical Collection Committee was formed in 1974 to establish a museum and archives in the Bradley House adjacent to the Library. The library received a generous bequest from the estate of Thomas G. Ratcliffe in 1981 that established a library endowment. In 1989-90 the Library building was completely renovated and made handicapped accessible. A two level addition to the building provided space for a separate children’s room on the upper level, and on the lower level a small room that houses the Thomas G. Ratcliffe Theatre Collection.

Archival record from the Woods Hole Historical Museum on the Library History

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