Our History

The Town of Milford established the library on August 30, 1858. It existed in various locations between 1858 and 1886, when it moved into the Memorial Hall building. The library remained in this Civil War memorial building for one hundred years.

A new facility was authorized by a vote of the Town Meeting on June 13, 1983, after a spirited campaign by the Trustees, the Library Building Committee, and the Friends of the Milford Town Library. The $2.6 million appropriated by the Town was combined with $512,200 in LSCA Title II federal grant money awarded by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. The new Milford Town Library building opened its doors to the public on January 13, 1986.

In 2006 a $1.4 million renovation project was approved by the town. The project included updating all lighting and HVAC systems, and carpeting. On the upper level the Information Desk was redesigned and the Children’s Program Room was expanded. On the lower level, administrative staff offices were combined and the former Technical Services area now houses the Young Adult Room. A former storage room is now an ESL Tutoring Classroom. The program room can now be divided in two so that two smaller functions can be held at the same time. The project began in November 2006 and was completed in October 2007. The renovated Milford Town Library opened on October 9, 2007.

The current facility has two levels. The main floor covers 17,445 square feet and includes the Circulation Desk, Information/Reference Desk, the Children’s Room, The Milford Room houses the local history collection, all adult and children’s audiovisual, periodical and book collections, staff workrooms, and public restrooms. The Children’s Room has a program room adjacent to it that is used for children’s programs and by community groups as a conference room for up to 50 people.

The lower level, measuring 9,555 square feet, houses the administrative offices, Technical Services, storage space, maintenance space, mechanical rooms, a meeting room, the Young Adult Room and Young Adult Collections, and ESL Tutoring Classroom, a staff lounge, and restrooms. The meeting room has a capacity of 100, and can be divided into two smaller rooms and is used for both library programs and by community groups.

The building provides excellent handicap accessibility. The two levels are connected by stairs and by an elevator. The front entrance has automatic sliding doors. A parking lot that accommodates 20 spaces, including one space restricted for a handicapped license plate, is supplemented by approximately 25 on-street parking spaces in front of the library.