WILTON LIBRARY ASSOCIATION INC

WILTON LIBRARY ("LIBRARY") HAS SERVED AS THE PRINCIPAL PUBLIC LIBRARY FOR THE TOWN SINCE 1895. THE LIBRARY AND ITS CONTENTS ARE OWNED BY WILTON LIBRARY ASSOCIATION, INC., WHICH IS GOVERNED BY A BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF 20-24 MEMBERS. APPROXIMATELY THREE QUARTERS OF THE TRUSTEES ARE ELECTED DIRECTLY BY THE MEMBERS OF THE ASSOCIATION AND UP TO ONE QUARTER ARE NOMINATED BY THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN PRIOR TO THEIR ELECTION BY ASSOCIATION MEMBERS. SINCE 1919, THE LIBRARY HAS RECEIVED PARTIAL FUNDING FROM THE TOWN. CURRENTLY APPROXIMATELY 75% OF THE ANNUAL BUDGET IS FUNDED BY AN APPROPRIATION FROM THE TOWN'S GENERAL FUND. THE BOARD CARRIES OUT AN ANNUAL APPEAL CAMPAIGN FOR THE PURCHASE OF ALL LIBRARY COLLECTION MATERIALS. THE REMAINDER OF OPERATING COSTS AND SOME MAJOR CAPITAL EXPENDITURES ARE FUNDED BY THE ASSOCIATION THROUGH FUND RAISING EVENTS, SPONSORSHIPS, GRANTS AND FEES. NINETY PERCENT OF THE CONSTRUCTION COST OF THE LIBRARY BUILDING, IN 1973, CAME FROM PRIVATE DONATIONS. THE BALANCE WAS PAID FOR WITH FEDERAL REVENUE SHARING FUNDS. IN RESPONSE TO GROWING USE OF ITS FACILITY AND SERVICES, THE LIBRARY COMPLETED AN $11.4 MILLION EXPANSION AND RENOVATION IN MARCH 2006. FUNDING FOR THE PROJECT INCLUDED $4.8 MILLION FROM BONDING AUTHORIZED BY THE TOWN MEETING IN MAY 2003. ADDITIONAL FUNDS CAME FROM THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT IN THE AMOUNT OF $500,000, PRIVATE DONATIONS IN THE AMOUNT OF $6.1 MILLION, AND PLEDGE PAYMENTS OF $6,065,400 NOT INCLUDING THE GRANT. A PURCHASE OF ADJACENT PROPERTY IN 1996 ENABLED THE EXPANSION TO BE LOGISTICALLY FEASIBLE. IT WAS FINANCED WITH $305,000 OF TOWN BONDS. THE LIBRARY HAS REIMBURSED THE TOWN FOR THIS DEBT SERVICE. THE LIBRARY IS LOCATED IN THE HEART OF WILTON CENTER. CURRENTLY, 789,399 PRINT AND AUDIOVISUAL RESOURCES, ELECTRONIC DATABASES, PRINT AND ONLINE MAGAZINES, NEWSPAPERS, DVDS, VIDEOS, MUSIC CDS, PUZZLES AND OTHER ITEMS COMPRISE ITS LENDING COLLECTIONS. ADDITIONALLY, THE LIBRARY OFFERS A COLLECTION OF DOWNLOADABLE E-BOOKS, AUDIOBOOKS, MAGAZINES, TUTORIALS, STREAMING MUSIC, AND STREAMING MOVIES. THE LIBRARY WAS VISITED BY 229,644 PEOPLE TO USE MATERIALS AND COMPUTERS OR ATTEND PROGRAMS FROM JULY 2024 THROUGH JUNE 2025. OVER THE SAME PERIOD, THERE WERE 54,312 VISITS TO THE LIBRARY'S WEBSITE, WHICH INCLUDED LOCATING, RESERVING, AND RENEWING ITEMS, DOWNLOADING AND STREAMING MUSIC AND LITERATURE, USING ELECTRONIC DATABASES AND OTHER ELECTRONIC RESOURCES, AND INTERACTING WITH ITS REFERENCE STAFF. THERE WERE 989 PROGRAMS ATTENDED BY 38,741 ADULTS, TEENS, AND CHILDREN. THESE PROGRAMS INCLUDED CONCERTS, LECTURES, TRAINING PROGRAMS, LITERARY DISCUSSIONS, STORY TIMES IN-PERSON, AS WELL AS VIA ZOOM AND YOUTUBE LIVE. PATRONS ALSO ATTENDED MAKERS' WORKSHOPS IN THE INNOVATION STATION, WHICH OFFERED 3D PRINTING, ROBOTICS, AND OTHER STEAM RELATED INITIATIVES.IN JUNE 2025, WILTON LIBRARY UNVEILED A NEW AND SIGNIFICANT PARTNERSHIP WITH ASML. AN EXPANSION OF THEIR GENEROUS SUPPORT OF THE LIBRARY OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, ASML'S PARTNERSHIP WILL NOW PROVIDE BOTH MULTI-YEAR FUNDING AS WELL AS VOLUNTEER SUPPORT FOR A VARIETY OF INITIATIVES THAT WILL ENHANCE WILTON LIBRARY'S ABILITY TO SERVE AS WILTON'S CULTURAL AND INTELLECTUAL CENTER. THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF THE GRANT IS APPROXIMATELY $810,000 OVER THREE YEARS. KEY INITIATIVES OF THE PARTNERSHIP INCLUDE FUNDING FOR AN ANNUAL JAZZ FESTIVAL, AN ASML AUTHOR SERIES, A NEW MONTHLY CHILDREN'S MUSIC PROGRAM, THE ADDITION OF A BLOOMBERG TERMINAL, A DIGITAL NAVIGATORS PROGRAM OFFERING ONE-ON-ONE TECH ASSISTANCE, ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THE LIBRARY'S ROBOTICS TEAM AND STAFF DEVELOPMENT, AND A VARIETY OF TECHNOLOGY ENHANCEMENTS.