Mission Statement
Enriching lives and building community.
Vision Statement
The Pelham Public Library seeks...
...to be a welcoming space for community members to connect.
...to provide access to relevant and timely collections, programs, and services.
...to educate, entertain, and inform the public.
Values Statement
Access: Using the Library should be simple with as few barriers to access as possible.
Assistance: Staff's discretion and personalized service best connect people to the resources they need.
Collaboration: Community led initiatives and partnerships lead to a stronger Library.
Confidentiality: The Library protects individual confidentiality in the use of Library resources.
Learning: Intellectual curiosity and educational goals are empowered by the Library.
Literacy: Reading, writing, technology, and information literacy are fundamental for everyone.
Recreation: Entertainment and relaxation are important to a well-balanced life.
Respect: The Library is a positive and supportive environment for all members of the community.
Services: The resources and services offered by the Library support the needs of the community.
Library History
At the annual meeting on March 8, 1892 the citizens of Pelham voted to establish a Free Public Library, and elected a three-member Board of Trustees. The library officially opened for business about January 17, 1893. Miss Mary Edna Hobbs was appointed librarian with an annual salary of $20. By March 1, 1894, at the end of its first full year of service, the library had issued 137 library cards; held a total collection of 629 books; circulated – or “delivered” – 2,420 books; and collected $10.06 in fines. Appointed when she was eighteen years old, Miss Hobbs, known to many as “Aunt Molly,” served as librarian until July 31, 1958 – over 65 years! By then the library owned 6,654 books with an annual circulation of 6,004; there were 166 registered borrowers; and the librarian’s salary rose to $400 per year.
In 1893, the library was set up in a corner of the Town Hall. A library building was constructed in 1896 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the incorporation of the town and honor Pelham’s war veterans. That one-storey brick structure was designed with a main “Memorial Room,” a book stack area, and Town Officers’ Room. The square footage of the building was doubled in 1975 by renovating the unfinished cellar to create a Children’s Room, staff workroom and periodical storage. The library had long-outgrown the 1896 building when the present 10,000 square-foot facility was completed in August 2003.
Conveniently located off Route 111-A (Marsh Road) at the Village Green municipal complex, the library has over 30,000 items in its collection searchable from the comfort of home via the online catalog, as well as digital content downloadable from the comfort of home. In addition to a growing collection of audiobooks, DVDs and large print books, the library subscribes to over 70 magazines and six daily newspapers. Thanks to the generosity of our Friends of the Library, the library has passes to a variety museums and cultural institutions. The library also offers a variety of programs for patrons of all ages.
Library membership is free to all Pelham residents, 6 years of age and older. Non-residents who own property, work, or attend school in Pelham may also be issued a card at no cost. Library cards are available to all other non-residents for an annual fee.
Have a question? Email the Director
