Guilford's library has been in good hands for many years

Once upon a time, a long time ago, in a pretty little town on the Connecticut shoreline, a nice lady by the name of Clarissa Sage left money in her will for a new library building. A generous gentleman, Mr. Frederick Spencer, contributed the land and finally on Aug. 5, 1933, the first shoveful of earth was removed by Martha Cornell of Church Street and that, dear readers, was the start of the Guilford Free Library.

If a library reflects a town’s hopes and dreams, then an amazing but modest 102-year-old woman, Edith Nettleton, who began as the library director in 1933 and served as the library’s director for 44 years until 1978, is as much part of the library as the bricks and mortar and architectural details of the beautiful building gracing the Green, today.

Due to the kind invitation of Nancy Elderbaum of Guilford, I recently was one of more than 100 guests on the latest of many honorary occasions; this one in celebration of Edith’s 102nd birthday. I am also indebted to Patti Baldwin, head of the Reference Department, for her help while researching this column.

Edith Nettleton has been described as an individual as rare as a rare book and her history as well as the fact that she still serves as a volunteer at the library several days a week, attest to that. She grew up in Guilford, starting school in a one-room schoolhouse on Clapboard Hill, then graduating from Guilford High School. Afterward, she went to Springfield, Mass., and became a librarian.

When the Guilford library association wrote and asked her if she could suggest someone to serve as the town’s first librarian, she responded, “How would I do?” and was promptly hired. At first, she and two volunteers not only served as the solitary staff during library hours (three days a week from 2-5 and 7-9) but they worked many additional hours when the library was closed, in order to get everything done; even driving many of the books each week to the Church Street school as the schools did not have their own libraries.

It is interesting to note that two other women have been instrumental in the growth of Guilford’s library. When Jean Baldwin moved to Guilford in 1952, she was dismayed to find that there were no school libraries for her three children so she joined the PTA and worked to establish a volunteer library at several of the schools.

In 1961, she used her considerable energy, talent and love of libraries by becoming Guilford’s associate librarian and eventually, upon Edith’s retirement, library director. Following Jean’s retirement in 1987, Sandy Ruoff, the present director, has continued to obtain the newest technologies and innovations while still retaining the warm, service-oriented appeal that is a hallmark of the library.

In 1960, the library Board of Directors created a development committee to estimate expansion needs. By 1964, the town population had grown from 3,000 to more than 8,000 and the library staff had grown from one full-time person to four. Hours the library was open each week had grown from 15 to more than 59.

Despite the obvious need to expand, the first plan proposed was turned down as being too modern.

The 1977 addition, designed by the Madison architect Gilbert Switzer added 15,000 square feet to the original 5,000-square-foot building and the latest addition in 2008 of 14,000 square feet. brings the total size to 34,000 square feet.

Of course, libraries today, in addition to an ever-increasing collection of books, now also house computers, records, films, art prints and serve as an advanced data base for information on a variety of subjects. They also act as lecture and entertainment centers for the community.

Edith Nettleton was the recipient of the inaugural Guilford Lions Club Award as Woman of the Year in 1972, was honored by the Whitfield Historic Society on the occasion of her 90th birthday, and in July of 2003, the library’s Guilford Room where she spent many hours cataloguing the bits and pieces of Guilford’s past, was re-named the Edith B. Nettleton Historical Room. The room features floor-to-ceiling glass bookcases, two fireplaces, window seats and wing chairs which face the arched windows overlooking the Guilford Green.

Guilford residents can take pride in their outstanding library and the woman who devoted her life’s work to helping it grow.

“Perhaps no place in any community is so totally democratic as the town library. The only entrance requirement is interest.” — Lady Bird Johnson

I'm reading: Guilford's library has been in good hands for many years