Cora J. Belden Library
🏢 Library Connection, Inc. · Rocky Hill, Connecticut
Cora J. Belden Library
Founded on December 11, 1794 with 87 books and a volunteer librarian, the Cora J. Belden Library is one of Connecticut's oldest public libraries — named for a woman who catalogued its collection from her kitchen table for over three decades.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 10am–8pm |
| Tuesday | 10am–8pm |
| Wednesday | 10am–8pm |
| Thursday | 10am–5pm |
| Friday | 10am–5pm |
| Saturday | 10am–5pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 33 Church Street, Rocky Hill, CT 06067
Phone: (860) 258-7621
Website: rhctlibrary.org
Plus Code: 87H9M996+5H (Rocky Hill, CT)
📱 Scan for directions
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👋 Use the Library Online
📖 About Cora J. Belden Library
Library service in Rocky Hill dates to December 11, 1794, when 87 books costing $88.89 were assembled at a meeting convened by Dr. Calvin Chapin, then pastor of the Third Congregational Church of Wethersfield. Over the next century the collection moved through temporary homes — a shopkeeper's store at the Connecticut River ferry landing, a minister's house, a former hotel — before the Library Association erected its first permanent building on Church Street in 1899 and donated it to the town in 1925. The town began operating it as a free public library in 1926. On April 5, 1950, a special town meeting voted to rename the library in honor of Cora Jane (Norton) Belden (1867–1950) of Plainville, who gave over 30 years of volunteer service as treasurer and board chair, personally selecting, ordering, and processing the library's books from her home. The current building at 33 Church Street was dedicated September 24, 1967 and expanded in April 1979. Today, as a member of Library Connection, Inc. (LCI), Cora J. Belden Library gives Rocky Hill's 19,700 residents shared access to the catalogs of 57 Hartford County libraries.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Founded December 11, 1794 — over 230 years of continuous service to Rocky Hill, making it one of Connecticut's oldest public libraries
- Named in 1950 for Cora Jane Belden, a 30-year volunteer board chair who hand-selected and processed the entire collection from her own home
- 3D printer and VR headsets available for patron use, plus a Library of Things lending collection for non-traditional items
- Member of Library Connection, Inc. (LCI) — shared catalog and OverDrive/Libby access with 57 Hartford County libraries; borrowIT CT reciprocal borrowing statewide
- Hartford Courant digital archive (1764–present) and LinkedIn Learning online courses, free with a Rocky Hill library card
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Cora J. Belden Library cardholders access Connecticut's research databases and digital collections free:
📚 Services
- Physical book, audiobook, DVD, and magazine checkout (53,000+ volumes)
- borrowIT CT: Rocky Hill cardholders may borrow from any of Connecticut's 191 participating public libraries
- Library Connection, Inc. shared catalog: holds deliverable from 57 partner libraries
- 3D printing (public access)
- VR headsets for patron use
- Library of Things lending collection
- Museum and park passes for reservation
- Study pod reservations (private study spaces)
- Library Locker pickup for holds
- Book club kits for groups
- Free Wi-Fi, public computers, copiers, and scanners
- Ancestry.com (in-library access)
- Morningstar investment research (in-library)
- LinkedIn Learning online courses (remote with card)
🎸 Programs
- Adult author talks, travel, health, and technology presentations
- Mystery Book Discussion group (meets monthly)
- Teen makerspace programs: coding, web design, 3D printing, and crafts (grades 6–12)
- Storytime and craft activities for children
- Teen volunteer opportunities
- Friends of the Library membership and events
📍 Nearby Libraries in Hartford County
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
All libraries in Rocky Hill · Browse all Connecticut libraries →
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
The library is named after a person — who was Cora J. Belden and why is she honored?
Cora Jane (Norton) Belden was born in Plainville, Connecticut in 1867 and moved to Rocky Hill after her marriage in 1894. For more than 30 years she served as treasurer and chairman of the Library Board, and for much of that time she personally selected, ordered, and catalogued the library's books from her own home. On April 5, 1950 — just weeks before her death — Rocky Hill held a special town meeting and voted to rename the library in her honor. Her portrait hangs in the library's fiction section today.
How old is this library, and where did it operate before the Church Street building?
Library service in Rocky Hill dates to December 11, 1794, making it one of Connecticut's oldest continuously operating public libraries — over 230 years old. Before settling at 33 Church Street in 1967, the collection moved through several temporary homes: a shopkeeper's store at the Connecticut River ferry landing, a minister's house at 42 Riverview Road, and a former hotel called the Bulkley House. The Library Association erected its first permanent building on Church Street in 1899 and donated it to the town in 1925.
Can I borrow items from other public libraries in Connecticut using my Rocky Hill card?
Yes. Rocky Hill is a member of Library Connection, Inc., which means your card gives you shared access to the consortium's catalog from 57 Hartford County libraries. Beyond that, Connecticut's borrowIT CT program lets you borrow from any of the state's 191 participating public libraries with your home card — items travel through the deliverIT courier network so you can often return them near home.
What free digital resources can I use from home with a Rocky Hill card?
With a Cora J. Belden Library card you can download eBooks and audiobooks through the Library Connection's shared OverDrive/Libby account; access the eGO CT statewide eBook collection via the free Palace app; browse Connecticut's researchIT CT portal (which includes Ancestry.com in-library, Consumer Reports, EBSCO, Morningstar, and the Hartford Courant back to 1764); and take unlimited LinkedIn Learning video courses — all free remotely, 24/7.
🎨 This library lends museum passes. See how library museum passes work and find other libraries that lend passes museum passes 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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