History
Library services in Royalton were originally provided by the Royalton Academy which was established in 1807, and by a small library association which was formed after the Civil War. In 1893 the legislature passed a law providing state aid for towns that elected trustees and appropriated money toward a town library, which the township managed to accomplish by 1896. The Royalton Free Public Library actually came into existence in 1898, with the collection being housed in a small brick building that was formerly a bank in Royalton village. Royalton village’s families had roots back to the 1780’s, but by the early 1900’s growth began to center a few miles to the South. In 1893 a new grade school opened in South Royalton and by 1900 South Royalton’s population had grown to nearly three times that of Royalton’s. In 1909 Reverend Joel F. Whitney campaigned to expand the library, purchase books, prepare a catalog, and open an additional branch, so that now there was a branch in each village. In 1912 Evelyn Lovejoy was elected to the board of library trustees, becoming the first woman to be elected to public office in Royalton. In 1917 the Library committee merged with the Historical Association to form the Royalton Memorial Library Association, which proposed to raise money to build a new, permanent library building. The committee which was by this time comprised in the majority by residents of South Royalton, voted unanimously to purchase the current library site at the corner of Stafford and Pleasant Streets, one block from the South Royalton Village Green. Construction began in 1919 and by 1921 the frame exterior was nearly complete, but the money raised by pledges had run out. Evelyn Lovejoy canvassed the township soliciting additional contributions on behalf of the Association and the Memorial Library was dedicated during Old Home Week in August 1923, with the library occupying the second floor of the small Georgian brick building along with displays belonging to the historical society. In 1957 residents converted the unfinished basement into the town clerk’s office. In 1971 the Association sold the building to the town for $1.00. In 1976 the core of South Royalton village including the library was entered on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1997 the Branch Library in Royalton village closed due to lack of use, funds and collection were consolidated into the South Royalton building. Currently the Town offices are researching alternative quarters and the Royalton Memorial Library plans to renovate the existing building to meet needs for additional space and handicap accessibility.