Welles-Turner Memorial Library
🏢 Town of Glastonbury · Library Connection, Inc. · Glastonbury, Connecticut
Welles-Turner Memorial Library
Born from Harriet Welles Turner Burnham's $350,000 bequest in 1931, Welles-Turner Memorial Library today fills 36,500 square feet of collections, programs, and community space — including the 2CF Studio makerspace with laser cutters, 3D printers, and CNC machines — and keeps Glastonbury's civic heart beating open until 9pm four nights a week.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 9am–9pm |
| Tuesday | 9am–9pm |
| Wednesday | 12pm–9pm |
| Thursday | 9am–9pm |
| Friday | 9am–5pm |
| Saturday | 9am–5pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 2407 Main Street, Glastonbury, CT 06033
Phone: (860) 652-7719
Website: wtmlib.info
Plus Code: 87H9P97R+34 (Glastonbury, CT)
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📖 About Welles-Turner Memorial Library
Welles-Turner Memorial Library opened on October 5, 1952, on the site of the former home of Harriet Welles Turner Burnham (1856–1931), a Glastonbury native whose bequest of $350,000 to the town made the library possible. The original Dutch Colonial brick building, designed by architect Roy D. Bassett with a gambrel roof to blend with the surrounding colonial architecture, was constructed in 1951. A glass-and-metal addition followed in 1965; a second expansion in 1999 unified all three sections. Between 2018 and 2022, architect TSKP Studio completed a third renovation and 2,700-square-foot addition — bringing the building to approximately 36,500 square feet — adding a flexible Commons space for audiences of 100+, an enlarged Children's wing with outdoor terrace, a Young Adult zone, and the 2CF Studio makerspace. A Great Copper Beech tree on the front grounds, likely planted in the 1870s during Harriet's residency, still stands as a living link to the original homestead. The library is a member of Library Connection, Inc. and participates in the statewide borrowIT CT reciprocal borrowing program.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Named for Harriet Welles Turner Burnham (1856–1931), whose $350,000 bequest funded the library and honored both the Welles and Turner family legacies — her former home's Great Copper Beech still grows on the grounds
- 36,500 sq ft facility completed after a 2018–2022 renovation by TSKP Studio, adding a flexible Commons (100+ capacity), expanded Children's wing with outdoor terrace, and dedicated Young Adult zone
- 2CF Studio (Second Century Fund makerspace): laser cutters, CNC machines, 3D printers, digitization station, sewing equipment, and poster printing — staffed by a dedicated MakerSpace Coordinator
- 37,209 digitized pages of Glastonbury-area newspapers spanning 1921–1982 (Glastonbury Citizen and Glastonbury Bulletin) — accessible through Advantage Archives
- Museum pass lending up to 30 days in advance; Library of Things (LED projector, Canon scanner, karaoke machine) for 7-day checkout
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Glastonbury cardholders stream, download, and research free through Connecticut's shared digital collections:
📚 Services
- 2CF Studio makerspace: 3D printing, laser cutting, CNC machining, poster printing, digitization station, sewing and craft supplies; one-on-one instruction from MakerSpace Coordinator (2cfstudiowtml@gmail.com)
- Museum pass lending (reserve up to 30 days ahead; limit one per household per day, four per 30-day window; 2-day physical checkout)
- Library of Things: LED projector, Canon scanner, karaoke machine; 7-day loan, 2 items at a time
- Meeting and study room reservations for community and small-group use
- FamilySearch Affiliate Library: one-on-one genealogy assistance and database access
- Readers' Advisory for adults, teens, and children
- Exhibit space for community and local-artist displays
- Print, copy, scan, and fax; public computers and free Wi-Fi
🎸 Programs
- Summer Reading Program (all ages): 2026 theme 'Plant a Seed, Read!'
- Summer Crafternoon (teens and adults): weekly junk journaling and scrapbooking sessions
- Teen Creative Writing Workshop: led by Glastonbury Poet Laureate, for grades 7–12
- Children's storytimes and age-grouped programs throughout the year
- Friends of Welles-Turner Memorial Library annual Fall Book Sale (September, Academy School/Town Hall on Main Street)
- Spooky Glastonbury Writing Contest (September–October, all ages)
- America's 250th Anniversary celebration events (2026)
📍 Nearby Libraries in Hartford County
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
All libraries in Glastonbury · Browse all Connecticut libraries →
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Who were the Welles and Turner families, and why is the library named after them?
The library honors Harriet Welles Turner Burnham (1856–1931), a Glastonbury native who descended from the prominent Welles family and first married into the Turner family. When she died in 1931, her bequest of $350,000 was released to the Town of Glastonbury to build a public library on the site of her former Main Street home — commemorating both family names in the institution's title. The Great Copper Beech on the library's front grounds, likely planted in the 1870s during Harriet's residency, remains a living connection to the original homestead.
What is the 2CF Studio, and who can use it?
The 2CF Studio is Welles-Turner's makerspace, named for the Second Century Fund that helped finance the 2018–2022 library renovation. Open to creators of all skill levels, it offers 3D printers, laser cutters, CNC machines, a digitization station, sewing equipment, and a poster printer. A dedicated MakerSpace Coordinator provides one-on-one instruction. Studio hours differ from library hours; email 2cfstudiowtml@gmail.com or call (860) 652-7737 for current availability and to book a session.
Does the library close on Sundays year-round, and when does Wednesday open later?
During the regular year the library is closed on Sundays. The library extends Sunday hours seasonally: from approximately mid-May through early September, Sunday hours are 1pm–5pm. Wednesday opens later than other weekdays — noon–9pm — while Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday are 9am–9pm, and Friday and Saturday are 9am–5pm.
Is Welles-Turner part of a larger Connecticut library network, and can I borrow from other libraries with my card?
Yes. The library is a member of Library Connection, Inc., a consortium of 50+ public libraries across central Connecticut sharing a single Vega Discover catalog (launched June 2026); you can request items from any member library. Connecticut's statewide borrowIT CT program also lets any resident with a valid home-library card borrow in person from 191 participating public libraries across the state at no extra charge.
🎨 This library lends museum passes. See how library museum passes work and find other libraries that lend passes museum passes by state.
📜 This library has genealogy & local-history resources. See how library family-history research works and find other libraries with genealogy collections genealogy libraries by state.
🧰 This library lends a “Library of Things.” See what you can borrow besides books and find other libraries with a Library of Things Library of Things by state.
🔨 This library has a makerspace / 3D printing. See how library makerspaces and 3D printing work and find other libraries with a makerspace makerspaces by state.
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