About Us

We are a small, rural public library serving our community of 1800. Housed in Schoolhouse #1 on the historic Phillipston Common. We serve as a meeting site for local groups and offer creative monthly children's programs. We also serve as the library for the Phillipston Memorial School, grades K-4. Plans for creating a Friends group to support the library are currently in the works. History: The Phillips Free Public Library was established in 1860 through a gift of $5,000 from Jonathan Phillips, the nephew of Lt. Governor William Phillips, after whom the town was named. He bequeathed the money to Phillipston because the town was ranked so high in the state in terms of support of its schools. The library first opened in 1862 and was housed in Gould's Tavern, a grand structure on the common. In 1868 it was moved to the Chaffin House on Baldwinville Road, (which happens to be, interestingly enough, the current residence of previous director Jennifer Mosher!). In 1891 it was moved to the town hall upon its opening. It has been housed in Schoolhouse #1, its current location since 1952. We are currently making plans for a 150th anniversary celebration in 2012.