Mansfield Free Public Library

What we love about libraries....Did you ever notice how they all smell alike? The sense of smell triggers our memories and emotions. Do you have positive feelings when you open that front door? Your mind also is already filling in the blanks of what it expects to see. Obviously books, but libraries are so much more. There is a reason the public library is one of the central buildings in a town. Like ours it may be one of the oldest buildings as well. We watch the young patrons grow up and return with their little ones. We cry when we lose long time patrons that have visited us forever. Libraries are a central hub to the community and are slowly being replaced by online reading and AI. Most funding comes from the municipalities and library fundraising. They are not government owned as many believe. 

Brown Bag Book Club meetings once a month, children's story hours with reading and crafts, author visits and presentations, Halloween parties, Chair Yoga, crafts meant to help the environment, ornament making, cookie exchanges, puzzle exchanges, the summer reading program, displays galore, magazines/newspapers, computer access, free Wi-Fi, free e-Book and e-audio access, and books (old, new, large print, audio, even borrowed from other libraries at our cost). These activities make us happy, but come at a cost. The cost of time, effort, and preparation most people will gladly give through volunteering. However, we like to offer these activities FREE OF CHARGE. In today's economy, one doesn't often hear those words and the cost of everything including supplies has gone up.  Nothing beats the smiles on peoples faces when they have somewhere to spend time with their children and each other. Somewhere to spend an afternoon when the power goes out. Somewhere to spend time with the kids when on a long trip and you need a break or are camping locally and it is pouring. Or just somewhere to have a little peace and quiet.

Mansfield was fortunate to have Andrew Carnegie provide a beautiful building for all these events and more.  However, we rely on people in the community to help us maintain this tradition.  "It is important that a library should count as its collection, not only the books on its shelves, but also the people it serves." This point of view is central in our philosophy. " A library is great, not because of the volumes it has, but because it is used by people who will derive benefit from its resources and who produce something as a result of its use that will benefit the community as a whole."  This year we will be doubling our efforts to bring more events, activities, programs, and resources to the community. No ideas or contributions to the effort are too small. "It takes a village."