By Melanie Petrucci, Senior Community Reporter
Photo/Melanie Petrucci
Northborough – To celebrate the end of its 150th anniversary celebration, the Northborough Free Library is planning to hold a Jubilee on Saturday, April 6. April 8, 1868. The event will take place from 6:30 – 11:30 p.m. at the Haven Country Club, 369 Cross St., Boylston. The Jubilee will benefit the creation of an endowment for the Library.
Boston’s WCVB-TV’s “Chronicle” reporter Ted Reinstein will headline as emcee for the evening which begins with cocktails (cash bar) at 6:30 p.m. followed by dinner at 7:30 pm.
The evening’s entertainment includes dancing with “The Party Factor” featuring Algonquin Regional High School Fine & Performing Arts Teacher Eric Vincent.
The event is the “Capstone” of the Library’s year-long celebration of its 150th anniversary. The Library was established on April 8, 1868 at the home of Cyrus Gale, Sr., where the first Trustees meeting was held.
The intent of the evening is social but there are several fundraising opportunities including a Wine Pull (where everyone wins) at 10 p.m. and a raffle of a hand-made quilt by local Master Quilter Terry Crean featuring the 150th anniversary logo. Tickets are $5 per ticket or $20 for five tickets which can also be purchased at the Library, 34 Main St.
“About a year and a half ago one of the Library staff members discovered that the first Library Trustees meeting was in April of 1968 and we realized it was almost the 150th year of that. We thought that was really exciting and a good reason to have a couple of parties,” noted Library Trustee Mitch Cohen, who is serving as the Jubilee Chair.
Cohen said that the notion of a free library in the 1860s was a rather novel idea at the time. Many libraries of that era were accessed through memberships which limited access of materials to the wealthier residents.
“The town of Northborough saw fit to change that and make it available to everyone and so the very first Northborough Trustees meeting was held in April of 1968 at Cyrus Gale’s home.” Cohen added.
The funds to build the current Library were donated by Gale’s son, Cyrus Gale, Jr. It opened on June 12, 1895.
“It’s exciting to me as a librarian, because how many municipal services can you think of that have been around for 150 years of continuous service? It’s amazing!” remarked Library director, Christopher Lindquist. “Libraries were like the people’s university.”
Event sponsors include Cyrus Gale, Sr. Benefactors – St. Mary’s Credit Union and C’est La vie Bistro; Cyrus Gale, Jr. Benefactors – Central One Federal Credit Union, Saint-Gobain, Avidia Bank and Karen Scopetski Realtor.
For more information, contact the Library at 508-393-5025 or visit www.northboroughlibrary.org.
Tickets to the event are $75 per person and are available for purchase at the Library or online. Online tickets must be purchased by Wednesday, March 27 by visiting: https://northborough150jubilee.app.rsvpify.com.