History of Hinesburg’s Libraries

In 1810, over one hundred residents created the Literary Society of Hinesburgh. Members met once
a month or more in people’s homes until moving the collection to Hinesburgh Academy. After the
Society disbanded in 1860, the collection remained housed at Hinesburgh Academy until voters
established the Hinesburgh Public Library at Town Hall in 1902. Circulation of books was robust
and in 1917 two “branch libraries” were formed, one in Mechanicsville.

In 1947 the Sarah Carpenter Memorial Library was erected on the site of the former Academy. A
Hinesburg native, Leonard E. Carpenter, donated the funds to create the library, which was
dedicated to his mother, Sarah Degree Carpenter, on Mother’s Day in 1947.
The Sarah Carpenter Memorial Library served the community for 50 years. In 1996, Henry Carse,
farmer, state senator, library trustee and beloved neighbor, donated the former Green Mountain
Hardware building to the SCM Library, Inc. This generous gift was followed by fundraising and tax
support to make the renovation possible. The library’s new name, Carpenter-Carse Library, is a
reflection of the dedication and generosity of Leonard Carpenter and Henry Carse, who
demonstrated their deep appreciation for their hometown and for the importance of libraries.

-From our Strategic Plan