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The Cary Memorial Library (est.1869) is the main branch of the
public library
A public library is a library that is accessible by the general public and is usually funded from public sources, such as taxes. It is operated by librarians and library paraprofessionals, who are also Civil service, civil servants.
There are ...
in
Lexington, Massachusetts
Lexington is a suburban town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. It is 10 miles (16 km) from Downtown Boston. The population was 34,454 as of the 2020 census. The area was originally inhabited by Native Americans, and was firs ...
. It is located at 1874 Massachusetts Avenue in the town center.
History
"In 1868 Mrs. Maria Hastings Cary proposed to give $1000 to Lexington to establish a free public library, on condition that a similar sum should be raised in money or in books for the same object. ... The proposition was gratefully accepted and the conditions complied with, by the donation of the other libraries to this object and an appropriation of money by the town. Such was the origin of Cary Library, so named in honor of the original donor." "In 1871, Mrs. Cary being pleased with the public appreciation and usefulness of the library, gave $5000 towards a permanent endowment."
By 1890, the library held "between 12,000 and 13,000 volumes. It is highly prized by the people and extensively used; more than 25,000 volumes have been drawn from it during the last year. From 500 to 800 new books are added annually. ... A branch library is maintained in the east village."
The library building was built with a bequest from Alice Butler Cary, adopted daughter of Maria Hastings Cary. Construction began in 1905 and was completed in 1906. The architect was
Willard D. Brown of Boston, a Lexington resident. The building has been expanded several times since.
In fiscal year 2008, the town of Lexington spent 1.81% ($1,926,194) of its budget on the library—some $63 per person.
[July 1, 2007 through June 30, 2008; cf. The FY2008 Municipal Pie: What’s Your Share? Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Board of Library Commissioners. Boston: 2009. Available]
Municipal Pie Reports
Image gallery
Image:MariaHastingsCary library Lexington Massachusetts.png, Portrait of Maria Hastings Cary, benefactor, 19th century
Image:1899 Lexington public library Massachusetts.png, Lexington town hall and public library, c. 1899
Image:CaryMemorial Library ca1913 Lexington Massachusetts.png, Library, 1913
See also
*
Stone Building (Lexington, Massachusetts)
The Stone Building, built in 1833, is an historic Greek Revival style building located at 735 Massachusetts Avenue in Lexington, Massachusetts. It was originally a meeting hall and lyceum for East Lexington, which had its own civic identity and, l ...
References
Further reading
* Report of the Free Public Library Commission of Massachusetts. 1899
Google books* Charles Hudson and Lexington Historical Society. History of the Town of Lexington, Middlesex County, Massachusetts. Houghton Mifflin, 1913; p. 405
Google books* Paula D. Watson. Carnegie Ladies, Lady Carnegies: Women and the Building of Libraries. Libraries & Culture, Vol. 31, No. 1, Reading & Libraries I (Winter, 1996)
External links
*
Flickr Photo of library, 2008
{{Authority control
Government agencies established in 1869
1869 establishments in Massachusetts
Public libraries in Massachusetts
Libraries in Middlesex County, Massachusetts
Buildings and structures in Lexington, Massachusetts