About

Nelson New Hampshire’s free public library offers you a wealth of entertainment and enlightenment opportunities in one very small place. We have a good selection of books, videos and magazines and we can request any item you are looking for via our state interlibrary loan system. We have frequent programs on a wide range of topics. You will find toys for children to come and play with, a kettle for tea and always a welcome.

The Library is dedicated to serving the educational, cultural, and recreational needs of those who reside in Nelson. In pursuing these goals the library will work closely with other organizations in the town such as the Board of Selectmen, the school, church and other groups. The Library feels that its purpose is to help people of all ages to continue their education, to add to their knowledge and understanding of the world, its literature, its arts, sciences, religions, and its people and their histories.

The Nelson Library as we know it was established at a special town meeting on July 7th, 1926, with the official title of the Olivia Rodham Memorial Library. “To preserve and honor the memory of a noble woman well versed in literature and a true lover of books.” But the true origins of the library were in 1824, when the town voted, simply, to purchase some books. Over the years the “library” was located in different places, including Charles Atwood’s store, which would have been on what is now The Common.

The 1926 vote of the town was preceded by a donation of land from Henry Melville for the purpose, and following the town’s decision, the building was designed by Alexander Law, and built by Homer Priest. This building, located on the hill on the south side of the Common (opposite the Congregational Church) still stands.

By the early 1990’s it was evident that the facility was no longer adequate, both in terms of space, and in being able to provide access for people with physical handicaps. The building also had no plumbing. Its location did not facilitate a reasonable way to resolve these issues by means of renovation.

Some years earlier a group of citizens had purchased and donated to the town a parcel of land adjacent to the town hall. At one time the home of Albert and Mildred Quigley, the building there had fallen into disrepair. It was demolished, and a modestly landscaped open area was created. The town began to consider this as a potential building site for the new library, and after considerable effort, plans were made for the building which exists today. It was built in 1996, and within a short time it blended in so well that it was easy to imagine it had always been there.

The library is very well utilized by the community. It provides a pleasant environment for reading and studying. Internet access is available via library computers, and during business hours wireless is available to those bringing in their own laptops. The library works closely with the school and provides a number of wonderful programs for children throughout the year.

On Giving: Nelson’s Library –the Big Picture

Although the town of Nelson voted as early as 1824 to purchase books for its Literary Society, it was not until 1925, just over 100 years later, that the cornerstone was laid for the little public library that now sits at the foot of the Nelson common. The Olivia Rodham Memorial Library in Nelson is the closest thing our small town has to a community center. For 18 hours a week, the library welcomes the public, and all library programs are free. No longer just a place for books, the library expanded into its beautiful facility more than 20 years ago and fills its 18 hours a week with book groups, nature talks, history lectures, movie nights, knitting groups, origami classes, and much more. The Saturday morning coffee hour, at 10, draws friends and neighbors every week. They come for the coffee and doughnuts, and stay for the programs. Summer forums, sponsored by the library trustees, bring crowds to the town hall on Thursday evenings in July. Nelson Agricultural Commission sponsors lectures on Saturdays in winter and spring. A hard-working Friends group helps organize the book sales and gives generously to support library needs. Volunteers help maintain the grounds and gardens, and show up regularly to clean the kitchen and dust the shelves. Through the years, many generous gifts and legacies have enabled our library to grow and prosper. The trustees of the Library invite you to consider making a gift to the library in your will, or in honor or memory of someone special. If you would like to volunteer to help out at the library, stop by anytime during library hours and talk to Kris Finnegan, our library director. Thank you!
-Susan Peery, on behalf of the trustees of the Olivia Rodham Memorial Library