Acton Memorial Library
🏢 Minuteman Library Network · Acton, Massachusetts
Acton Memorial Library
Built in 1890 by publisher William Allan Wilde as a memorial to Acton's Civil War soldiers, the Acton Memorial Library has grown from its original 3,973-book collection to a vibrant community hub holding roughly 170,000 items and circulating 640,000 a year.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 9am–8pm |
| Tuesday | 9am–7pm |
| Wednesday | 9am–8pm |
| Thursday | 9am–8pm |
| Friday | 9am–2pm |
| Saturday | 9am–1pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 486 Main Street, Acton, MA 01720
Phone: (978) 929-6655
Website: actonmemoriallibrary.org
Plus Code: 87JCFHP8+MJ (Acton, MA)
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👋 Use the Library Online
📖 About Acton Memorial Library
The Acton Memorial Library stands at 486 Main Street in Acton, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, in a distinctive red brick and brownstone building designed by Boston architects H.W. Hartwell and William C. Richardson. Publisher and Acton summer resident William Allan Wilde commissioned it in 1890, dedicating it to the memory of townspeople who served in the Civil War and declaring his wish to give every man, woman, and child in Acton access to 'good, pure, interesting and instructive reading.' The library expanded significantly in 1967 and again in 1996, and joined the Minuteman Library Network in 1988, linking cardholders to dozens of partner libraries across Middlesex and Norfolk counties. Today it circulates not just books but museum passes, 3D-printed objects, and a broad Library of Things collection, and houses a rich local-history archive spanning Civil War records, genealogy resources, and digitized historical newspapers. A companion branch, the West Acton Citizens' Library at 21 Windsor Avenue, serves the village center on the town's west side.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Memorial building erected in 1890 by William Allan Wilde to honor Acton's Civil War veterans — designed by Boston architects Hartwell & Richardson
- Collection of roughly 170,000 items circulating 640,000 times a year, one of the busiest per-capita systems in Middlesex County
- Member of Minuteman Library Network since 1988 — one card unlocks holdings at 40+ partner libraries and digital resources statewide
- Museum pass program giving cardholders discounted or free entry to local and regional attractions, bookable online
- Local history archives including Civil War records, genealogy resources, historical newspapers and town documents
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Acton cardholders can stream, download and research free through Massachusetts statewide and Minuteman Network digital collections:
📚 Services
- Museum passes — discounted entry to local and regional attractions, bookable online
- Library of Things — 3D printer, tools, games and other loanable items
- Public computers, printing, scanning & free Wi-Fi
- Local history archives: Civil War records, genealogy, historical newspapers, town documents
- Meeting and study rooms available for community use
- Interlibrary loan through the Minuteman Library Network
- English as a Second Language (ESL) resources
- Homebound and outreach delivery services
🎸 Programs
- Children's storytimes and youth crafting programs
- Teen Nintendo Switch club and summer reading
- Adult book groups and author talks
- Financial wellness and lifelong-learning workshops
- Summer reading program for all ages
- Community art exhibitions in the library gallery
📍 Nearby Libraries in Middlesex County
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
All libraries in Acton · Browse all Massachusetts libraries →
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Who built the Acton Memorial Library and why is it called a 'memorial' library?
The library was built in 1890 by William Allan Wilde, a Boston publisher who summered in Acton. He dedicated it to the memory of Acton's Civil War soldiers — hence the name 'Memorial' — and paid for the red brick and brownstone building at a cost of $30,000. When it opened it held 3,973 books and served a town of about 1,900 residents.
Is Acton Memorial Library open on evenings or weekends?
Yes. The library is open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday until 8 p.m. and Tuesday until 7 p.m., giving evening access four nights a week. Friday hours are 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The library is closed on Sunday.
Can I borrow museum passes from Acton Memorial Library?
Yes. The library maintains a museum pass program that lets cardholders — anyone 14 or older with a valid Minuteman Library Network card — book discounted passes to local and regional attractions online. A select group of passes can also be picked up at the companion West Acton Citizens' Library on Windsor Avenue.
What is the Minuteman Library Network and how does it benefit Acton cardholders?
The Minuteman Library Network is a consortium of more than 40 public and academic libraries across Middlesex and Norfolk counties. Acton joined in 1988, so a single Acton card lets you borrow from and return materials to any member library, access a shared digital collection through Libby and hoopla, and request items not held locally through interlibrary loan.
🎨 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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