the jones library

The Jones Library is the public library serving the wider Amherst community. It was incorporated in 1919 after the Town of Amherst received a bequest from Samuel Minot Jones. First located on the second floor of the old Amherst House hotel, the Jones commenced operation in 1921. Construction on a separate building began in 1927, and on November 1, 1928, the Jones Library opened its doors at its current location, which was built to look like a residence. Renovations of the building took place in the late 1960s and an addition was added in 1993. There are also two library branches, located in North Amherst and South Amherst.

The Jones Library is a vital part of the downtown Amherst community. A vibrant Youth Services department supports early childhood literacy as it provides library materials and children’s programming to local families. Young Adult Services collections and activities seek to engage with the teenagers in Amherst. Adult collections and programming reach local adults with a range of educational, informational, and recreational opportunities. The Special Collections department provides access to local history resources, as well as collections of the papers of Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost, Robert Francis, Roy Stannard Baker, Harlan Fiske Stone, Clifton Johnson, and many others. The award-winning English as a Second Language program welcomes immigrants to our community and provides both formal and informal English language learning opportunities, as well as citizenship preparation. The Burnett Gallery and its monthly exhibits display a wide range of art by community artists.

In addition to the physical materials housed in the library building, having a Jones Library card allows patrons to access and download e-books and e-audio, stream movies and music, and use online resources to learn languages, take online courses, and more. Furthermore, a Jones Library card enables patrons to borrow library materials from the regional library consortium, as well as access materials from across the state. Evening and weekend hours create even greater accessibility for library patrons. Learn more at our website!