DFL Mission, Community Participation and History

Mission Statement

The Dover Free Library welcomes community members of all ages and backgrounds to seek out lifelong learning experiences through reading, learning, thinking and discussion in a comfortable and friendly environment.

The library is guided by a volunteer Board of Trustees and partially funded by the Town of Dover, Vermont. Non-profit grants and individual volunteer services are essential to its operation. It is a community learning center: neighbors working together to enable anyone to get connected to worldwide literature, art and entertainment, as well as news, education and information resources. Dover Free Library is one of Vermont's 210 public libraries which are maintained by and for the residents of towns with populations under 2,000.

A Few Highlights in the History of Dover Free Library:

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Information on the settling of the area and early history of the Town of Dover appears in the

Vermont Historical Gazetteer collated by Abby Hemenway and published in 1891 by Carrie Page.

1913 ~ At Dover Town Meeting, five citizens were elected to serve on the Library Board of Trustees.

Expenses for the year amounted to $25.00.

1916 ~ A librarian was paid $5.00 to number the books in the collection.

1928 ~ A subscription to National Geographic cost the library $3.60.

1971 ~ Alice Bayles became the first professional librarian.

The library was open April through October, two hours per week.

1972 ~ The library moved to a room in the Brick School, our present location.

1978 ~ $9,000 was appropriated to make two small rooms into one large room for the library.

1987 ~ $70,000 was appropriated for a two-room addition to the back of the library.

1988 ~ The library was open 15 hours per week.

1997 ~ The library installed an automation system; the card catalog became a thing of the past.

2002 ~ Thanks to the Freeman Foundation, a Children’s Room was added to the library. (photos of ground-breaking)

2003 ~ The Community Room was organized as the home of the Vermont Collection and became available for

library presentations, meetings and other public events.

2005 ~ A big-screen multi-media system and a Gallery Wall with special lighting for art exhibits was added to

the Community Room. The library also acquired DSL and more computers for public access --and

launched this website.

2006 ~ The library acquired “wi-fi” internet access and new furnishings for the Community Room.

A volunteer 501(c)3 non-profit, “Friends of the Dover Free Library,” was established.

Book Shelver ~ Putting books on the shelves is one of the most essential activities. It enables patrons to find materials they need.

Display Assistant ~ This is the presentation of library materials to help keep the library an updated and interesting place.

Materials Shifter ~ The library is a movable feast: with new books constantly coming in, materials need to be shifted and occasionally weeded out.

Shelf Reader ~ This volunteer is responsible for making sure that items are put back correctly.

Periodical Manager ~ This job requires checking and shelving new periodicals and maintaining order within the periodical section.

Children’s Story Hour Reader ~ This volunteer reads picture books to small groups of young children and assists with other activities, such as simple crafts.

Volunteers under the age of 18 will require parental or guardian permission and all volunteers will be expected to fill out an application.

Alice Bayles, Dover’s first professional librarian, and John Flores, the library’s current director

GROUND BREAKING

for NEW ADDITION for CHILDREN’S ROOM