The Carver Public Library was begun in 1895 as a regular department of the town. It was housed in the Town Hall until 1972 when a “Butler-style” metal structure was erected next to the Town Hall as a temporary home for the library. The building rested on a concrete slab and measured approximately 7,200 square feet. A needs assessment was conducted by Library Management Associates of Beverly, MA in 1994 in conjunction with grant work and a special town meeting where residents approved matching appropriations for the grant. The opening of the new library building was in July 1998.
The current library is a two-story building of approximately 25,000 square feet. There is ample room for the book stacks, two public meeting rooms, two study rooms, a periodicals room, and separate children’s and young adult spaces. The library holds nearly 80,000 items, including books, periodicals, DVDs and electronic resources. The library supplies users with popular materials, reference assistance, access to online catalog and databases, adult and children’s programming, and the most current available and affordable technology. The library also provides the community with two meetings areas, offers access to Carver historical and genealogical information, and supports and supplements the school curriculum. The professional staff at the library includes Library Director Carole Julius, who has a Master’s Degree in Library and Information Studies from the University of Rhode Island, Assistant Director Amy Sheperdson, who has a Master’s Degree in Library and Information Studies from Simmons College, and Children’s Librarian Melissa MacLeod, who has a Bachelor’s Degree from Syracuse University. The Board of Library Trustees is a 6 person board and they are elected by the citizens of Carver to govern the policies and functions of the library.
The library is a member of the SAILS library network. SAILS has over sixty member libraries, including public, school and community college libraries, all of which are located in Southeastern Massachusetts. SAILS provides computerized operations of all library functions, including circulation, cataloging, Internet access and web page hosting, and public access computers.
The library is open 48 hours per week, 10:00-6:00 Mondays and Wednesdays, 10:00-8:00 Tuesdays and Thursdays and 10:00-4:00 Fridays and Saturdays.