Libraries

Northampton Public Libraries

Northampton has two public libraries, Forbes Library in downtown Northampton, and Lilly Library, in the heart of downtown Florence. For library hours and more information, visit the websites for each library.

Forbes Library

Forbes Library, the public library for Northampton, Massachusetts, provides a wide range of information, materials and services to all of the people of Northampton and Massachusetts.  The library’s magnificent building offers a friendly, welcoming physical environment which encourages the civic, intellectual, and cultural pursuits of the public. Forbes serves as a community meeting place in which curiosity, free inquiry, and lifelong learning are supported and nurtured. The library is open 56 hours per week, and many resources are available online 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

The Forbes collections are large and varied including not only popular fiction and non-fiction, large arts and music and children’s departments, and an impressive art gallery, but also an extensive local history and genealogy collection for Hampshire County as well as the Calvin Coolidge Presidential Library and Museum. Forbes also offers Northampton an array of programming and reference services for both children and adults, ranging from author readings, to music and dance demonstrations, dramatic readings and performances, to writing workshops, book and poetry discussion groups, internet training workshops, knitting, chess, and storytimes.  

Lilly Library

In 1888, Alfred Lilly had the Lilly Library built in the center of the village of Florence. It served initially as a branch of the Northampton Public Library until the Forbes Library was built. Since that time, the two libraries have operated independently, while both serving the residents of Northampton, Florence and Leeds with a variety of books, newspapers, periodicals and now electronic media. Lilly Library underwent an expansion and accessibility renovation project in 2005 and 2006.