About the Library

Mission Statement

The Cragin Memorial Library has been the public library for the town of Colchester since 1905. It is the Library's mission to provide for the informational, cultural, and recreational needs of the people of Colchester through the provision of an organized collection of print, multimedia, and electronic resources. The Library will work to provide people of all ages with high-demand, high-interest resources in a variety of formats.

Library Roles:

• Popular Reading

  • We will support leisure reading with a collection of current, high-interest material, popular periodicals, and classic books.

• Children's Reading

  • We will introduce children to a love of reading as soon as they are old enough to look at a picture, listen to a story, or hold a book.

• Information

  • We will strive to provide timely, accurate, useful information to enable Colchester residents to inform themselves of all subjects that interest them.

• Programs

  • We will create and present programs to enrich and inform Colchester residents of all ages. 

Department Overview

The Cragin Memorial Library serves the residents of Colchester with a collection of 82,000+ items and is open 49 hours each week. In addition to a comprehensive collection of book and media offerings, the Library provides free programs for all ages, personal service, Inter-Library Loan, public internet computers, and free Wi-Fi access to the Library’s visitors. The Library also serves as a community destination, hosting hundreds of community activities for many organizations including scouts, sports league registration, and civic groups.

The Library is a town department advised by the Cragin Memorial Library Board of Trustees to consult on policies and the general activity of the Library.  The Library’s programming is made possible through the community support provided by Friends of Cragin Memorial Library.