HOURS OF OPERATION
Main Library	Endicott Branch
43 Church Street (781) 751-9284	257 Mount Vernon Street (781) 751-9178
Monday 10am - 9pm Tuesday 10am - 5pm Wednesday 10am - 9pm Thursday 10am - 5pm Friday 10am - 5pm Saturday CLOSED Sunday CLOSED	Monday 10am - 5pm Tuesday 1pm - 9pm Wednesday 10am - 5pm Thursday 10am - 5pm Friday 10am - 5pm Saturday 10am - 5pm Sunday CLOSED

DIRECTIONS
Main Library	Endicott Branch
Driving south on Rte. 128: • Get off at exit 16A, merge onto High St/RT-109 E toward Dedham. • Right at Village Ave • After the cemetary stop sign, continue on Church St, and the library is on your left at 43 Church Street. • There is a parking lot in the back of the library. For directions from your specific destination, CLICK HERE to use Google Maps.	Driving south on Rte. 128: • Take exit 15A toward Dedham/RT-1A • Merge onto Boston Providence Pike / Providence Hwy • Turn right at Eastern Ave • Turn right at East St • Turn left at Walnut St • Turn right at Mt Vernon St. • The library is on your right at 257 Mount Vernon Street. There is a parking lot at the side of the building. For directions from your specific destination, CLICK HERE to use Google Maps.

HISTORY OF THE LIBRARY
The Dedham Public Library began in 1794 when the First Parish Church organized the Social Library.

The town minister kept the books in his house, issuing them for circulation only on Mondays.
In 1807, the library had 87 volumes; in 1838, 230 volumes; in 1860, 500 volumes. In 1856, the books were moved to the vestry of the First Parish Church and were circulated on Sundays, with Jonathan D. Cobb as the first librarian. In 1860, the library became open to all residents.

On November 24, 1854, Dedham residents founded the Dedham Library Association. The new library, which opened February 1, 1855, was housed at 630 High Street, with Dr. Samuel Adams as the new librarian.

An act of legislature chartered the present Dedham Public Library on March 24, 1871. The Library Association endowed 2,977 books to the new building, a rented room over Thomas J. Baker's store on the corner of Court and Norfolk Streets. Francis M. Mann, a long-time member of the Library Association, was elected as the librarian.

In 1886, Hannah Shuttleworth left a $10,000 bequest to the library which allowed the purchase of land for $2,000 - the current site on the corner of Church and Norfolk Streets. Boston architects Van Brunt and Howe designed the main library with a Romanesque/Southern France style; the exterior is Dedham pink granite and red sandstone trim.

The Trustees approved the addition of a children's room in 1916, and Edith H. Smith became the first children's librarian. In 1952, an entire children's wing was added, along with a renovation of the adult department and a new main entrance on Church Street. This is the current state of the main library.

The Endicott Branch was added in 1969.

Approved by Board of Trustees 11/07/2001.