History

History of Bainbridge Free Library

Our library, located in the Bainbridge Town Hall Building, is the oldest chartered library in continuous operation in Chenango County. Credit for its first consideration was shared by Mrs. Ralph Kirby, Dr. Edward Danforth and Harrison Beatty. A plan for the initial library was presented to the townspeople and overwhelmingly approved. Many gifts and offers of help were received, especially from the Woman’s Club whose members volunteered to act as librarians.

A provisional charter was issued by the state and the library opened in January, 1908 in a small room on the second floor of the Danforth block. The first librarian was Grace Peckham who was in charge of the library’s 205 books for adults and 75 books for children. The library desk was an old kitchen table and other than a chair and homemade bookshelves, there were no other furnishings. 

Less than two years later the library moved to larger quarters, a room on the second floor of the Town Hall. This was a pleasant space with large windows and a fireplace.A permanent charter was received from the State Library Association in 1912. As of 1916 3,200 volumes filled the shelves with a circulation of about 10,000 a year with 835 readers borrowing books. The first trained librarian and the first to receive a salary was Miss Margaret Wilcox, hired in 1932.

In time, more space was again needed. When the Post Office moved to its location at 22 North Main Street in May of 1950, the library moved into the vacated space at 13 North Main Street where it still remains today, as a valuable part of the community.