Essex Free Library
🏢 Serving the Town of Essex · Essex, Vermont
Essex Free Library
Housed in an 1840 former church on Browns River Road, the Essex Free Library serves the Town of Essex, Vermont, with a warm collection and youth programming, staying open until 8 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 9am–5pm |
| Tuesday | 9am–8pm |
| Wednesday | 9am–5pm |
| Thursday | 9am–8pm |
| Friday | 9am–5pm |
| Saturday | 9am–2pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 1 Browns River Road, Essex Junction, VT 05452
Phone: (802) 879-0313
Website: essexfreelibrary.org
Plus Code: 87P8GW6R+JG (Essex Junction, VT)
📱 Scan for directions
Point your phone camera at the code to open turn-by-turn directions in Google Maps.
👋 Use the Library Online
📍 Plan your visit
🚉 Getting there
1 Browns River Rd, Essex Junction, VT 05452. Get transit & driving directions → (live subway, bus & car routes).
♿ Accessibility
Includes wheelchair-accessible entrance, accessible parking.
⭐ Visitor rating
4.7 / 5 from 21 Google reviews.
🕑 Best time to go
Usually calmest soon after opening; busiest around 6 pm.
Visit details from the library’s Google Business Profile, verified October 2026 — confirm on official page before a special-date trip.
📖 About Essex Free Library
The Essex Free Library is the public library for the Town of Essex, Vermont, in Chittenden County. Its roots reach back to 1928, when members of the Essex Center Woman's Club, dissatisfied with a small library tucked into a side room of the town hall, set out to build a proper one; with local contractor O.S. Nichols they raised a 600-square-foot library that opened in Essex Center on June 29, 1933. In 1989 the library moved into its current home, a brick building on Browns River Road that had been built as the Federated Church in 1840. Today the library is a member of the Vermont Organization of Koha Automated Libraries (VOKAL) and shares a Koha catalog, and an Essex Free Library card also borrows at the neighboring Brownell Library in Essex Junction.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Occupies a historic brick building on Browns River Road that was originally the 1840 Federated Church, home to the library since 1989
- Founded by the Essex Center Woman's Club, whose first purpose-built library opened in 1933
- Strong youth focus — summer reading, storytimes, play groups and clubs for tweens and teens
- Part of the statewide Vermont Organization of Koha Automated Libraries (VOKAL) shared catalog
- Open until 8 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays for after-work and after-school visits
- One card also borrows at nearby Brownell Library in Essex Junction
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Essex Free Library cardholders can stream, download and research free through Vermont's shared digital collections:
📚 Services
- Book, audiobook & DVD lending through the shared Koha catalog
- Youth summer reading program
- Storytimes and play groups for young children
- Clubs and activities for tweens and teens
- Public computers, printing & free Wi-Fi
- Interlibrary borrowing across VOKAL member libraries
🎸 Programs
- Summer reading program
- Weekly storytimes
- Preschool play groups
- Tween and teen clubs
- Seasonal community events
📍 Nearby Libraries in Chittenden County
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
All libraries in Essex Junction · Browse all Vermont libraries →
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between the Essex Free Library and Brownell Library?
The Town of Essex is served by two separate public libraries. The Essex Free Library sits in Essex Center at 1 Browns River Road and serves the town, while Brownell Library is in Essex Junction at 6 Lincoln Street. They keep their own buildings, staff and hours, but they share the statewide Koha catalog — so a card issued at one can be used to borrow at the other.
How old is the Essex Free Library building?
The library occupies a brick building on Browns River Road that was originally built as the Federated Church in 1840; the Essex Free Library moved into it in 1989. The library itself is older still — the Essex Center Woman's Club opened its first purpose-built 600-square-foot library nearby in 1933.
Which days is the Essex Free Library open late?
The library stays open until 8 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays it runs 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturdays 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., and it is closed on Sundays.
Does the Essex Free Library have programs for children and teens?
Yes. The library has a strong youth focus, with a summer reading program, regular storytimes and play groups for young children, and clubs and activities for tweens and teens throughout the year.
🖨 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 runs story times for kids. See how library story times work — ages, what happens and that they are free — and find other libraries with story-time programs library story times by state.
✎ Notice something out of date? Suggest a correction and we’ll verify and update it.
✓ Hours & details last verified from official sources in September 2026.
Nearby Libraries, Guides & Services
More Vermont libraries
- Fletcher Free Library, Burlington
- Ilsley Public Library, Middlebury
- Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier
- Rutland Free Library
- St. Albans Free Library
Helpful guides
⭐ Google reviewers rate the Essex Free Library 4.7 out of 5 across about 21 ratings (Google, Oct 2026).
Hours shown on this page match the hours Google lists for this location as of October 2026. Always confirm holiday hours on the official Essex Free Library site.
More questions
What is the phone number for the Essex Free Library?
The Essex Free Library can be reached at (802) 879-0313. It is located at 1 Browns River Road, Essex Junction, VT 05452.
Is the Essex Free Library open on Saturdays?
Yes. The Essex Free Library is open Saturday mornings until 2 p.m., with late evening hours on Tuesday and Thursday during the week. It is closed on Sundays.
