Sunapee’s first public library was established in 1982 and shared a building with the town’s post office. It was funded with $230.40 of State Aid and $5.00 from the town, as well as private donations.
In 1918, Sunapee resident Martha H. Abbott passed away and stated in her will that 60% of her estate be used to build a library in memory of her husband Almeron Abbott. Sunapee built a new library in 1926 and called it Abbott Library. This library cost $12,000 and included 6,500 volumes in its collection. The town voted to appropriate $3,000 to finish the building in 1928. The first librarian of Abbott Library was Mary C. Haven.
In 1958, Mabel (or Mable) Davies became the new librarian and worked at Abbott Library for the next 21 years. During her tenure, the Friends of the Abbott Library were formed in 1963.
In 2010, the trustees began working on a strategy to build a new library. They created the Abbott Library Foundation to help raise funds for a new building. The estimated cost of the new library was $2.7 million and in two years the Abbott Library Foundation raised $1.3 million. In 2014, the town voted to build a new library and it was opened on November 15, 2014. The Sunapee Historical Society now uses the old library building as the Sunapee Archives, which opened to the public in 2017.
Sources:
The Booklet Commemorating Sunapee’s Bi-Centennial 1768-1968.
The Story of Sunapee by John Henry Bartlett. Press of Byron S. Adams, Washington, D.C, 1941.
Sunapee’s Historic Buildings: Places Volume One – Updated. By Barbara Bache Chalmers. Sunapee Historical Society. Sunapee, New Hampshire. 2022.
New Hampshire Library Trustees Association newsletter. Submitted by Adele Knight, NHLTA Director. Winter 2015-16. Vol 31, No.4.