Staff
Director: Sue Rowe
Email: director@gilbertsvillefreelibrary.org
Archivist: Leigh Eckmair
Email: archivist@gilbertsvillefreelibrary.org
Board of Trustees
President: Paul Crabb
Vice President: Teresa Winchester
Treasurer: Arlene Daniels
Secretary: Catherine Barr
Trustees: Christine Barnes, Carol Clum, Paula Gilbert, Lynn Hoadley, and Barbara Lilley
You may email the board of directors at board@gilbertsvillefreelibrary.org
The board is scheduled to meet on the 3rd Wednesday of each month at 7:00 PM at the Library. Meetings may be rescheduled to guarantee attendance meets quorum requirement. See the Events link for detailed information.
About The Building
The first Free Library Association to be formed in the county, the Gilbertsville Free Library stands as a symbol of architectural pride and beauty to both past and present day village residents.
The building was rebuilt in stone after the original wood-frame schoolhouse had burned down in 1818. The building had served as both the Public School grades 1-8) and as an Academy (a private secondary school) until 1839. This combination of the district school and the Academy however soon outgrew the building's capacity and a new Academy was built on the 'hill' nearby. In 1869, the entire building was abandoned when even the number of students enrolled in the district school alone had outgrown the building's capacity. For about 15 years this unique and beautiful structure suffered the "slings & arrows" of abuse; first as a marble shop and then for a few years as a blacksmith shop. Then, In 1888, Eames and Young of St. Louis were commissioned as architects for renovations so that the building could be used as a library. And thus it has remained through the vigilant support of its volunteers.