Wilton Library Association Incorporated

WE ARE THE CULTURAL AND INTELLECTUAL CENTER OF WILTON. WE INFORM, ENRICH, CONNECT, AND INSPIRE OUR COMMUNITY.

THE WILTON LIBRARY HAS SERVED AS THE PRINCIPAL PUBLIC LIBRARY FOR THE TOWN SINCE 1895. THE LIBRARY AND ITS CONTENTS ARE OWNED BY THE WILTON LIBRARY ASSOCIATION, INC., WHICH IS GOVERNED BY A BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF 21 MEMBERS. EIGHTEEN OF THE TRUSTEES ARE ELECTED DIRECTLY BY THE MEMBERS OF THE ASSOCIATION AND SIX ARE APPOINTED BY THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN PRIOR TO THEIR ELECTION BY ASSOCIATION MEMBERS. SINCE 1919, THE LIBRARY HAS RECEIVED PARTIAL FUNDING FROM THE TOWN. CURRENTLY APPROXIMATELY 75% OF THE ANNUAL BUDGET IS FUNDED BY AN APPROPRIATION FROM THE TOWN'S GENERAL FUND. THE BOARD CARRIES OUT AN ANNUAL APPEAL CAMPAIGN FOR THE PURCHASE OF ALL LIBRARY COLLECTION MATERIALS. THE REMAINDER OF OPERATING COSTS AND SOME MAJOR CAPITAL EXPENDITURES ARE FUNDED BY THE ASSOCIATION THROUGH FUND RAISING EVENTS, SPONSORSHIPS, GRANTS AND FEES. NINETY PERCENT OF THE CONSTRUCTION COST OF THE LIBRARY BUILDING, IN 1973, CAME FROM PRIVATE DONATIONS. THE BALANCE WAS PAID FOR WITH FEDERAL REVENUE SHARING FUNDS. IN RESPONSE TO GROWING USE OF ITS FACILITY AND SERVICES, THE LIBRARY COMPLETED AN $11.4 MILLION EXPANSION AND RENOVATION IN MARCH 2006. FUNDING FOR THE PROJECT INCLUDED $4.8 MILLION FROM BONDING AUTHORIZED BY THE TOWN MEETING IN MAY 2003. ADDITIONAL FUNDS CAME FROM THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT IN THE AMOUNT OF $500,000, PRIVATE DONATIONS IN THE AMOUNT OF $6.1 MILLION, AND PLEDGE PAYMENTS OF $6,065,400 NOT INCLUDING THE GRANT. A PURCHASE OF ADJACENT PROPERTY IN 1996 ENABLED THE EXPANSION TO BE LOGISTICALLY FEASIBLE. IT WAS FINANCED WITH $305,000 OF TOWN BONDS. THE LIBRARY HAS REIMBURSED THE TOWN FOR THIS DEBT SERVICE. THE LIBRARY IS LOCATED IN THE HEART OF WILTON CENTER. CURRENTLY, 557,181 PRINT AND AUDIOVISUAL RESOURCES, ELECTRONIC DATABASES, PRINT AND ONLINE MAGAZINES, NEWSPAPERS, DVDS, VIDEOS, MUSIC CDS, PUZZLES AND OTHER ITEMS COMPRISE ITS LENDING COLLECTIONS. ADDITIONALLY, THE LIBRARY OFFERS A COLLECTION OF DOWNLOADABLE E-BOOKS, AUDIOBOOKS, MAGAZINES, TUTORIALS, STREAMING MUSIC, AND STREAMING MOVIES. THE LIBRARY WAS VISITED BY 132,276 PEOPLE TO USE MATERIALS AND COMPUTERS OR ATTEND PROGRAMS FROM JULY 2021 THROUGH JUNE 2022. OVER THE SAME PERIOD, THERE WERE 70,256 VISITS TO THE LIBRARY'S WEBSITE, WHICH INCLUDED LOCATING, RESERVING, AND RENEWING ITEMS, DOWNLOADING AND STREAMING MUSIC AND LITERATURE, USING ELECTRONIC DATABASES AND OTHER ELECTRONIC RESOURCES, AND INTERACTING WITH ITS REFERENCE STAFF. THERE WERE 528 PROGRAMS ATTENDED BY 15,082 ADULTS, TEENS, AND CHILDREN. THESE PROGRAMS INCLUDED CONCERTS, LECTURES, TRAINING PROGRAMS, LITERARY DISCUSSIONS, STORY TIMES IN-PERSON, AS WELL AS VIA ZOOM AND YOUTUBE LIVE. PATRONS ALSO ATTENDED MAKERS' WORKSHOPS IN THE INNOVATION STATION WHICH OFFERED 3D PRINTING, ROBOTICS, AND OTHER STEAM RELATED INITIATIVES.THE PAST YEAR WAS A YEAR OF OPENINGS AND RE-OPENINGS AT WILTON LIBRARY. IN SEPTEMBER 2021, THE LIBRARY RESUMED PRE-COVID HOURS, AND BY MARCH, IN ADDITION TO CONTINUING TO OFFER ONLINE PROGRAMS, WE WELCOMED BACK ATTENDEES TO IN-PERSON PROGRAMS, AS WELL AS ALL PRE-COVID SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES. THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, THE LIBRARY WAS PROUD TO PARTICIPATE IN EVENTS SUCH AS THE WINTER STROLL AND THE FARMER'S MARKET, AND HOSTED THREE BOOK SALES AS WELL AS ITS SECOND ANNUAL ICE CREAM SOCIAL TO WHICH THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY WAS INVITED.ON OCTOBER 30, 2021, THE LIBRARY CELEBRATED THE GRAND OPENING OF THE BRUBECK COLLECTION WITH A RIBBON-CUTTING CEREMONY AT THE LIBRARY. THE CEREMONY WAS ATTENDED BY MEMBERS OF THE BRUBECK FAMILY AS WELL AS U.S. SENATOR RICHARD BLUMENTHAL, STATE SENATOR WILL HASKELL, STATE REPRESENTATIVE STEPHANIE THOMAS, WILTON SELECTMEN JOSHUA COLE AND ROSS TARTELL. THE BRUBECK COLLECTION WAS ESTABLISHED BY DAVE BRUBECK AND HIS WIFE, IOLA, AS A "LIVING ARCHIVE" TO BRUBECK'S LONG AND ILLUSTRIOUS CAREER AS A CELEBRATED MUSICIAN AND COMPOSER. THE BRUBECK COLLECTION IS ONE OF THE PREEMINENT JAZZ ARCHIVES IN THE WORLD AND PASSES ON BRUBECK'S LEGACY TO FUTURE MUSICIANS, MUSICOLOGISTS, RESEARCHERS, HISTORIANS, JAZZ AFICIONADOS, AND THE PUBLIC. IN THE SPRING OF 2022, THE LIBRARY HELD ITS 16TH WILTON READS, AN ANNUAL COMMUNITY-WIDE READING PROGRAM WHICH THIS YEAR FEATURED WILTON, CONNECTICUT: THREE CENTURIES OF PEOPLE, PLACES, AND PROGRESS BY ROBERT (BOB) H. RUSSELL. THERE WERE PROGRAMS FOR ALL AGES SPANNING TWO MONTHS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH WILTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS, FAIRFIELD COUNTY BANK, WILTON HISTORICAL SOCIETY, DRUM HILL CHAPTER OF THE DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, JAMES B. WHIPPLE AMERICAN LEGION POST 86, AND GOOD MORNING WILTON.