| Summary: The Town of
Plympton Library Association is a non-profit, public service
corporation which has been in existence since 1902. Its purpose
is to help maintain a sound and adequate library building suited
to the needs of the town. Although the town pays for the
day-to-day library operation such as staffing, materials, and
supplies, TOPLA pays for the insurance and for the maintenance
of the building structure and it's operating systems.
Brief History:
On March 2, 1891, Plympton town meeting accepted "the
provisions of Chapter 347 of the acts of 1890 in relation to
Free Public Libraries." With the passage of this article, three
library trustees were elected and the town received $100 to
purchase books from the State Board of Library Commissioners.
Under the Act, the town was required to appropriate annually an
amount scaled to its assessed valuation, the minimum being
fifteen dollars.
At first, the library was housed in the Town House. The first
librarian was Betsy Sherman, 1891--1894. In the summer of 1894,
a group of young people formed an organization, TOPIAS, which
later became TOPLA (Town of Plympton Library Association) for
the purpose of erecting a library building. They solicited
funds, gave parties, plays, and other entertainments. By 1902,
they had accumulated $1,100 and Mrs. Maria L.H. Pierce of
Middleboro gave them $3,000. At this point, they incorporated
and purchased land from a Mrs. Danforth of Plymouth for $275.
The main building was completed for occupancy about February 1,
1905. The architect was R.L. Young of Boston and the builder was
E. Laurence Grover of Halifax. The total cost was $5,000. A
mortgage of $1,000 was paid off by 1908.
The reading room was added in 1918-1919 as a result of a
bequest of Mrs. Maria L.H. Pierce. She also left $8,200 in
trust, the interest to be used for improvement of the building
and grounds. Mrs. Annie E. Wilson left $10,000 in the same
manner in 1941.
TOPLA members were leaders in fundraising for the library
building and renovation project of the early ‘90s. Over the past
ten years since the library was expanded, TOPLA expenditures
have covered installation of French drains for basement
flooding, roof work for leaking problems, major plumbing and
heating problems, and repainting of the exterior. |
