2024 Seminar with Phil Weinstein
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Beginning in January, Philip Weinstein, the Alexander Griswold Cummins Professor of Literature at Swarthmore College, will present a nine-part seminar on Zoom, Known and Unknown Worlds: Fictions of the 21st Century, studying six of the most resonant novels published (in English) in the 1st two decades of our new century. Programs will be held online via Zoom twice monthly from 6pm - 7:30pm, beginning Thursday January 18th (subsequent sessions will be on Wednesday evenings). Prior to the first class in January, registered participants will receive a welcome email with Zoom access information.  A limited number of copies of the books will be available for pickup at the library, or can be requested through CLAMS. All sessions will be recorded. Visit the library website for more information including course description, readings, and class dates.

New Challenge Grant for Library Capital Campaign
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The Vineyard Haven Public Library Building Fund, Inc. (VHPLBFI) is pleased to announce a $150,000 challenge grant for the library capital campaign. The campaign will fund construction of an addition to the library building to house an accessible multi-purpose community meeting room. To date, the VHPLBFI has raised more than $1.4 million towards the $2 million capital campaign goal. Now a generous island family has offered a matching grant to help reach the fundraising goal by the end of the year. For every $3,000 donated to the campaign now, $1,000 in matching funds will be donated, up to $150,000 in matching funds for $450,000 in new gifts.
To further add to the value of this project, Tisbury voters at recent Town Meetings approved $1 million dollars in funding for repairs and renovations for the existing library building, which can be undertaken at the same time as construction of the addition in order to achieve cost savings and limit interruptions to library services. The Library's Building Committee is now working with the Town to hire an owner's project manager to oversee the combined renovation and addition project. With funding in place, the library will be able to begin construction in 2024.

Thank you Tisbury for Supporting the Library Renovation!

On April 25th, 2023, Tisbury Town Meeting voters approved an $800,000 article to fund repairs and renovation of the existing library building in 2024. In order to include the meeting room addition in the renovation project, the Library Building Fund is working to raise an additional $500,000 by the end of this year. 

Gifts made to the Building Fund now will allow the addition and renovation to be done as a single project, that will limit interruptions to library services for the public, as well as achieve significant cost savings. The renovation and addition will include environmental upgrades for sustainability, much needed storage, and flexible meeting facilities that will position the library to deliver even better services to our community.
For more information, please review these Frequently Asked Questions.

COVID-19 Update

The COVID-19 pandemic has created additional challenges for our ongoing effort to enhance the Vineyard Haven Public Library. Significant funding for this project will come from grants and community donations, and fund-raising priorities have understandably shifted to address pressing needs of our society. While improving our community’s library is not urgent relative to our national priorities, we feel strongly that this building project will greatly improve the quality of life for many Islanders and visitors. Creating an open, spacious, and well-ventilated place for our community is more important than ever. The expanded and redesigned interior and exterior spaces will provide the flexibility the library requires to provide future services with greater safety and comfort. We continue to welcome donations, and invite volunteer support for this project.

A Space to Welcome Everyone

​Through free programs, as well as through books and media, the library is here to introduce our community to new authors, new ideas, new friends and new technologies, all in a secure and comfortable space. This is the feeling we want our library patrons to experience when visiting the library, and the experience we hope to create through our lifelong learning programs, cultural and social events.

Over the past decade, our creative and dedicated library staff have done an outstanding job of recruiting speakers, planning events, and obtaining grants, enabling the library to participate in stimulating program series, taking advantage of the wealth of knowledge and talent found among our local residents and seasonal visitors.

Since 2007 the library has experienced more than 300% growth in attendance at adult programs, in addition to maintaining a vibrant schedule for children. Annually, the library hosts several thousand program attendees of all ages, with up to 40 events taking place each month. All programs at the library are offered free of charge and are open to everyone. These educational and cultural activities provide personal development and social interaction for active older adults, opportunities for parents with young children to convene, and a safe, fun way for kids to gather after school.

However, ​the dimensions of the library’s small basement program room are not able to accommodate this demand, with poor acoustics, a low ceiling, and room to comfortably seat no more than 45 adults. Too often our limited program facilities mean people are turned away, become confused about the location of library events relocated to other venues, or find that the existing space makes it difficult to see and hear a presentation.

The Journey So Far

​The community’s interest in participating in library programs, and the inadequacy of the current space, were highlighted by survey results and discussion at community forums during the library’s recent strategic planning process. The Board of Trustees and library staff began planning for improvements, envisioning an addition to address these issues, without reducing any of the space dedicated to the library’s existing collection.

It has been inspiring to work with our design team, including the committed volunteers on our Building Committee and our talented architects at Maryann Thompson, to develop plans for a flexible, comfortable, accessible, and beautiful new community meeting room, that will have up-to-date technology, appropriate lighting and acoustics, and most importantly, enough room to make everyone feel welcome. Some features include:
  • Large windows opening the room to the garden but that can be easily darkened with drop-down shades when necessary.
  • Acoustic engineering with a state-of-the art sound system including an assisted hearing loop.
  • A large retractable projection screen hidden in the furthest rafter along with a high resolution projection system.
  • A size that will comfortably accommodate up to 100 people.
  • Closets large enough to store stackable chairs and other equipment.

​The Town of Tisbury demonstrated support for the project at our April 2017 Town Meeting, by approving funds for the design of the new space. Our Capital Campaign Committee is committed to raising funds for construction without further taxpayer financing. We hope you will agree that it's time for our library to create a space to welcome everyone, and support the Capital Campaign Building Fund for the construction of our new community meeting room.

Project Planning & Timeline

Plans for building an addition to the library building at 200 Main Street in order to create an improved multi-purpose meeting room were completed in 2019. We look forward to groundbreaking following the successful completion of our capital campaign.
For more information including project background, design and construction developments, and answers to Frequently Asked Questions, visit the project page on the Vineyard Haven Public Library's website,  http://www.vhlibrary.org/Building.shtml