Last updated on May 16, 2008

Rollinsford Public Library is a volunteer organization with the mission of creating a public library in the town of Rollinsford.

Description:
Rollinsford is the largest community in the state, and the only community in Strafford County, that does not have its own town library. A group of volunteers have worked diligently for the last four years, in an effort to make the dream of a library a reality. A group of townspeople formed the nonprofit organization, the Friends of the Rollinsford Library, in order to work together to raise funds through projects such as selling cookbooks and a Rollinsford heritage book, along with gathering dues from Friends of the Rollinsford library members. With the funds from these activities, we have been able to gather books, and have begun the process of setting up a library in a donated space in the Rollinsford mill building. We have received approval but no funding from our town. Our vision of the library is, as in any town, to have a space where people can obtain books, children can attend story hour, friends can gather and the other myriad of services that a public library can provide will finally be available to the people of Rollinsford.

History:
The last library-type space existed in Rollinsford in the 1800s but was not an official library. Prompted by the desire of a 10 year old boy's dream for a library, students at Rollinsford Grade School began a Bookworm Buddies drive in 2004, petitioning for the signatures of fellow students and friends who thought a library would be a good addition to the community; the parents conducted a concurrent petition drive. Initial fund-raising efforts started with a bake sales and the grade school's student council planned a baked goods and hot chocolate sale to raise more funds for the library. In December of 2004, the ever-expanding group of library supporters hosted an informational table at the Firefighters Craft Show where donations were offered and graciously accepted.

With a young boy's dream, and the recognition that a library is a valuable asset to the residents of any community, the Friends of Rollinsford Library group was formed by interested townspeople. The mission of the Friends of the Rollinsford Library was to create a public library for the town of Rollinsford- the first library the town has had in 167 years. The entire effort to establish a library for the town has been done with only donations and fund raising, with no cost to residents. Thus far, 10,000 books have been donated to launch the library's collection. Writing letters to famous people asking for recipes in order to put together and sell cookbooks, writing and asking for book donations, countless organizational meetings and town meetings have been part of the process of bringing the idea of a library to fruition. In November of 2007, The Friends of the Rollinsford Library group, along with the three library trustees, gathered to sign the lease to a donated space in the Rollinsford mills. Volunteers have renovated the space, painted and cleaned, found carpenters to donate materials and labor and the dream of a library is becoming a reality.

Contact person: Salme Perry, Other, (phone), (email)

Address:

PO Box 70 Rollinsford, NH 03869

Web Site: http://www.thefrpl.com

Directions:

3 Front Street, Suite 2B (Lower Mill) Rollinsford, NH

Miscellaneous Information

Name of Executive Director (or equivalent) if not listed above:
	Donna Bolian
Type of organization
	Nonprofit 501(c)3
Is your organization a Health and Human Service agency?
	No

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