The Early Gleason Library

The Library's first librarian was Mrs. Mary Butters Green. Mrs. Green lived across Bedford Road from the library, and held this position for over 40 years.

The first 2 photos are of Mrs. Green in the "waiting and delivery room". This room is now the picture book room.

The next photo is of Mrs. Green in the Reading Room, which is now the children's chapter book room.

The last 2 photos were taken in what is now called the Hollis Room. It used to be the "lecture and historical room".

Photos number 6 and 7 are of the Gleason Library's first catalog. Having 35 pages, the catalog gave each book a number, and divided them into fiction, non-fiction, and children's books. The non-fiction was then divided into Classes; each Class covered a subject such as history and biography.

Photos 8 and 9 are examples of how librarians kept track of the books patrons checked out.


As of 2021, the Gleason Public Library is open 55 hours a week, has 4 full-time and 14 part-time employees, and owns over 50,000 physical items and an additional 50,000 downloadable ebooks and eaudiobooks. Through many eras and incarnations, the Gleason has remained a vibrant and vital center for the Carlisle community.