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Library History
As early as 1872 library services were in place in Moodus. At first the books were placed in different
homes and then shared with the public.
On October 15, 1888, the East Haddam Free Public Library and Reading Room Association was originally
started by William E. Nichols. Space for the library was rented in the former Snow
building which was built in 1849 by Gideon Higgins. This was then
purchased for the library in 1910. Miss Hannah C. Brownell was the first
librarian. From there it moved to the basement
of the old Moodus Savings Bank, located on Plains Road in Moodus.
In 1919, Judge Purple gave land and funds to build the building that currently houses the library.
The building was completed in 1920. The
building was specifically built to be used as the library. The Free Public
Library Act of 1893 officially accepted the library to be the Town Library for the Town of East Haddam. Judge Purple set up an endowment fund
to support its financial needs. In an effort to meet the demands of a growing community,
the library receives additional monetary assistance from the town government as the endowment does not
produce sufficient income to fund all of the day to day expenses of the library.
In 1920, the library started with 1,300 volumes. The inventory has now expanded to approximately 20,000
volumes and fifteen computers. There is also a collection of historic
and genealogical items that are of specific interest to the Town of East Haddam and the Moodus area.
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