In 1859, the Bolton Library began on a few shelves of what is now the Selectmen’s Room at Town Hall. A gift of $10,000 from Misses Emma and Anna Whitney to the town in 1901 facilitated the construction of a dedicated library building on Main Street. It opened in 1904 and was dedicated to their father, Captain Joseph Whitney.

The library’s English Tudor Revival style contrasted vividly with the surrounding native New England architecture. Designed by the architectural firm of Stone, Carpenter and Willson, and constructed of local Bolton fieldstone by mason Aden B. Allen, little has changed since it the library was built including its interior finished in oak and the medieval-inspired mantelpieces at the two stone fireplaces.

In 2010, the library was expanded and today houses over 50,000 items including books, magazines, newspapers, music, audiobooks, and movies, and hosts e-books, e-magazines, and databases. The renovated library includes a children’s room with storytime and craft space, a young adult area, a local history room, a periodicals/reading room, and several quiet study areas.