Stevens Memorial Library
🏢 CW MARS Consortium · Ashburnham, Massachusetts
Stevens Memorial Library
Stevens Memorial Library in Ashburnham has offered free public reading since 1793, when townsfolk bought shares at two dollars apiece to stock the settlement's first book collection — making it one of the oldest library traditions in Worcester County. Today the library at 20 Memorial Drive, open until 8 p.m. on Thursdays, lends museum passes, streams Kanopy films and connects patrons to the 60-plus libraries of the CW MARS consortium.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 9am–4pm |
| Tuesday | 9am–6pm |
| Wednesday | 9am–6pm |
| Thursday | 9am–8pm |
| Friday | Closed |
| Saturday | 9am–1pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 20 Memorial Drive, ASHBURNHAM, MA 01430
Phone: (978) 827-4115
Website: ashburnhamlibrary.org
Plus Code: 87JCJ3QR+46 (ASHBURNHAM, MA)
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📖 About Stevens Memorial Library
Stevens Memorial Library is the public library of Ashburnham, a small Worcester County town in north-central Massachusetts that was first settled in 1736 and incorporated in 1765. The library's origins date to 1793, when residents established Ashburnham's first library through the sale of two-dollar shares — one of the earliest community reading societies in the region. That organization was disbanded in 1833, a Ladies' Library Association carried the torch from 1850 to 1884, and the present Stevens Memorial Library eventually emerged as the town's permanent public institution. The library sits at 20 Memorial Drive near Cushing Academy, the prestigious boarding school that has educated students from around the world since the late nineteenth century. As a member of CW MARS (Central & Western Massachusetts Automated Resource Sharing), a consortium of more than 60 libraries, Ashburnham cardholders can borrow from any member library and access a broad digital collection including Libby, Kanopy and Encyclopedia Britannica. A federally funded food-literacy grant program, the "Menu of Things" Library of Things lending collection and free museum passes round out the library's community offerings.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Library roots dating to 1793, when Ashburnham residents bought shares to create the town's first book collection — among the earliest such efforts in Worcester County
- Member of CW MARS, a consortium of 60+ Central & Western Massachusetts libraries — one card unlocks the entire shared collection
- Museum & attraction passes lend free admission to regional museums and cultural sites
- "Menu of Things" Library of Things collection for borrowing household and specialty items
- Federally funded food-literacy grant program "At the Table: Food Literacy from the Ground Up" addressing community food access
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Stevens Memorial Library cardholders can borrow, stream and research free through CW MARS and Massachusetts statewide digital resources:
📚 Services
- Museum & attraction passes lending — free admission to regional cultural sites
- "Menu of Things" Library of Things collection for borrowing specialty items
- Meeting rooms available for community use
- Public computers, printing and free Wi-Fi
- Large-print book collection
- Historical and genealogical research materials
- Interlibrary loan through CW MARS (60+ member libraries)
- Reference and reader's advisory assistance
🎸 Programs
- Storytimes and children's programs
- Crafternoon workshops for all ages
- "At the Table" food-literacy programming (federally funded)
- Book-related community events and author discussions
- Summer reading program
📍 Nearby Libraries in North-Central Massachusetts
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
All libraries in ASHBURNHAM · Browse all Massachusetts libraries →
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Stevens Memorial Library and how did it start?
The library's origins go back to 1793, when Ashburnham residents established the town's first book collection by selling shares at two dollars each — one of the earliest community library efforts in Worcester County. That first library closed in 1833, a Ladies' Library Association operated from 1850 to 1884, and the Stevens Memorial Library eventually became the permanent public institution serving the town today.
Does Stevens Memorial Library offer museum passes?
Yes. The library lends museum and attraction passes that provide free or reduced admission to regional cultural sites. Check the library's website or call (978) 827-4115 for the current list of available passes and reservation instructions.
What is CW MARS and how does it benefit Ashburnham cardholders?
CW MARS (Central & Western Massachusetts Automated Resource Sharing) is a consortium of more than 60 public libraries across central and western Massachusetts. With a Stevens Memorial Library card you can borrow from any CW MARS member library, request items through the shared catalog at ashburnham.cwmars.org, and access the consortium's digital collection including Libby, Kanopy and online databases.
What is the 'Menu of Things' collection at Stevens Memorial Library?
"Menu of Things" is the library's Library of Things lending collection — a curated set of household and specialty items patrons can borrow just like a book. It's part of the library's effort to expand what a public library offers beyond traditional print and digital media. Ask at the circulation desk or visit the library's website for the current item list.
🎨 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 offers printing, copying & fax. See how library printing, copying, scanning and fax services work — costs and mobile printing — and find other libraries that offer them printing & fax by state.
📅 This library has meeting & community rooms. See how library meeting rooms work — booking, policies and fees — and find other libraries with meeting or community rooms meeting rooms by state.
✓ Hours & details last verified from official sources in October 2026.
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