Jones Library Inc

The Jones Library in downtown Amherst and our branches in North and South Amherst fill a unique role in the Amherst community.  Created to serve all the residents of the community, the public library is a place of community connection as well as filling its more traditional role.  Not only does the Jones Library provide access to traditional library materials, such as reference materials, books, and magazines, the library is also a great source for music and DVDs, downloadable e-books and audiobooks, foreign language materials, a range of online resources, materials for children and young adults, and a Special Collections department that houses a treasury of local history, special archives, and ties to Amherst’s literary past in Emily Dickinson and Robert Frost.

But the Jones Library is more than a warehouse of things.   It is also about people, and making connections between our patrons and the information they need, the community they seek, and those special programs, services, and resources that can enrich their lives.  Programs and events for adults, young adults, and children entertain, educate, and encourage exploration.  Services such as the ESL program dramatically change the lives of the immigrants who participate.  Free access to computers and other technology fills a range of vital functions, from job searching to printing bus tickets, from allowing small business owners to create professional-looking documents to taking an e-reader for a test drive.  There is something for everyone at the Jones Library.

Last year, the Jones Library delivered services, programs, and materials worth over $8.2 million to the Amherst community.  That is more than 4.8 times the amount appropriated for the library by the Town of Amherst.   But we can't do everything that we do with the money from the town.  The Friends of the Jones Library System provide much needed assistance for specific needs, as do general donations from our generous supporters.   With your support, we can continue to serve the Amherst community, and evolve and change to meet the community’s changing needs.

Support your community.  Support your library.  Donate today.