What is the Role of the Library?

The Mission of the Pearle L. Crawford Memorial Library is to provide members of our diverse community with equal access to traditional and electronic media, programs, and exhibits that will encourage life-long learning, expand cultural horizons, facilitate research, and inspire curiosity.

I am fond of saying that while a town may have a community center, the library is the center of the community. When the Library Trustees and I created the above mission statement, it was this philosphy that we had in mind. Looking back on the first year of operations, in many ways we were the focal point in Dudley, as evidenced by the vast array of programs and services residents accessed at the library.

By now, most people know that the library is more than "just books;" however, that is an understatement to say the least. What is the library anyway?

We are a computer center with 26 high speed Internet access PCs.

We are a wireless hub.

We are a classroom, where you can learn how to use computers and search the Internet.

We are a research center, where you have access to millions of magazine and journal articles, conference proceedings, images, and countless other formats.

We are a career center, where you can research job opportunities, create resumes, and explore new fields.

We are a meeting space, where local groups and organizations gather to conduct business.

We are a music hall, where you can experience performances as diverse as Native American music to choral ensembles to folk singers, and for all ages.

We are a historical center, where many artifacts, books, and other ephemera covering the rich history of Dudley and the surrounding area are stored.

We are an auditorium, where you can hear lectures ranging from academic to historical to social to the purely whimisical in nature.

We are a stage, where magicians, clowns, and storytellers entertain children and the child inside all of us.

We are a community information center, where you can discover what is going on in the area.

We are a destination for teens, where they can study and relax in a room designed especially for them.

We are an arts and crafts center, where you can learn how to decorate cupcakes, build gingerbread houses, learn calligraphy, and so much more.

We are an art gallery, where local artists can display their creations.

And, yes, we are still a place where you can go on a cold or rainy day and curl up with a good book, and then you can go as far as your imagination will take you.

The Pearle L. Crawford Memorial Library is a number of things, serving many functions and fulfilling many roles within the community. There is something here for everyone. If you haven't visited us yet, please do. You will be very excited by what you discover!