Ilsley Public Library
🏢 Green Mountain Library Consortium · Middlebury, Vermont
Ilsley Public Library
Ilsley Public Library has anchored Middlebury's College Street corridor since 1924, when Colonel and Mrs. Silas A. Ilsley donated the building to the town. Today it lends everything from e-bikes to eBooks, keeps the doors open from 8 a.m. on weekdays, and offers Addison County's largest public museum-pass collection — more than 25 venues from Shelburne Museum to Middlebury Town Pool.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 8am–6pm |
| Tuesday | 8am–6pm |
| Wednesday | 8am–6pm |
| Thursday | 8am–6pm |
| Friday | 8am–4pm |
| Saturday | 9am–4pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 75 Main Street, Middlebury, VT 05753
Phone: (802) 388-4095
Website: ilsleypubliclibrary.org
Plus Code: 87P82R6J+XC (Middlebury, VT)
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📖 About Ilsley Public Library
The Ilsley Public Library traces its roots to 1848 and the Middlebury Reading Association, which evolved into the Ladies Library Association in 1866. In 1911 the association and the town joined forces to create a public library, and in 1924 Colonel and Mrs. Silas A. Ilsley donated the present building at 75 Main Street. Expansions followed in 1975 (elevator and children's room), 1988 (north-side addition), and 2003 (renovated side entrance and circulation). A major renovation underway in 2025 has shifted daily operations to the Duclos building nearby. Ilsley belongs to the Green Mountain Library Consortium, giving cardholders access to shared collections and the statewide Palace Project digital platform. Its Library of Things includes a fleet of Cannondale Murano e-bikes available May through October — one of the most distinctive lending programs of any Vermont public library.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Founding roots in 1848 — one of Vermont's longest-serving public library institutions, named for benefactors Colonel and Mrs. Silas A. Ilsley
- Early weekday hours from 8 a.m. make it one of the few Vermont public libraries open before 9 a.m.
- Library of Things includes Cannondale Murano e-bikes (May–October), a Digital Media Lab, and genealogy resources
- More than 25 museum and cultural passes to venues including Shelburne Museum, Fairbanks Museum, ECHO, and Billings Farm
- Member of the Green Mountain Library Consortium with access to the Palace Project statewide eBook app
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Ilsley cardholders can borrow, stream, and research free through Vermont's statewide and consortium collections:
📚 Services
- Library of Things: e-bikes (May–Oct), tools, games, and specialty equipment
- Digital Media Lab for audio, video, and photo projects
- 25+ museum and cultural passes (Shelburne Museum, ECHO, Billings Farm, Vermont State Parks & more)
- Genealogy assistance and historic newspaper access
- Interlibrary loan through the Green Mountain Library Consortium
- Public computers, printing, and free Wi-Fi
- Meeting rooms and community program space
- Reference and reader's advisory assistance
🎸 Programs
- Children's storytimes and youth programming
- Teen programs and activities
- Adult programs, author events, and book groups
- Summer reading challenge
- Ilsley TV community video programming
📍 Nearby Libraries in Addison & Rutland Counties
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
All libraries in Middlebury · Browse all Vermont libraries →
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Ilsley, and why is the library named after them?
Colonel Silas A. Ilsley and his wife donated the current building at 75 Main Street to the Town of Middlebury, which dedicated it as the public library in 1924. The library had already been serving the community since 1848 through predecessor associations, but the Ilsley gift made it a permanent public institution in its own home.
Can I borrow an e-bike from the library?
Yes — Ilsley lends Cannondale Murano 3 electric bikes in three frame sizes from May through October as part of its Library of Things program. Loans run three or four days (Tue–Thu or Fri–Mon, once a month per borrower) and include panniers, charger, lock, and helmet. Check the library's website for availability and reservation details.
What museum passes does Ilsley offer, and how do I borrow one?
The library offers more than 25 passes to regional attractions including Shelburne Museum, Billings Farm & Museum, ECHO Leahy Center, Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium, Vermont History Museum, Vermont State Parks, VINS, and Wonderfeet Museum in Rutland, among others. Passes are free to borrow with a valid library card — check availability at the front desk or online catalog.
Is Ilsley really open at 8 a.m.?
Yes. The main library at 75 Main Street opens Monday through Thursday at 8 a.m. and stays open until 6 p.m., making it one of the few Vermont public libraries with pre-9 a.m. weekday hours. Friday hours are 8 a.m.–4 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m.–4 p.m., and the library is closed on Sunday.
🎨 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.
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✓ Hours & details last verified from official sources in September 2026.