Hills Memorial Library

18 Library Street · Hudson, NH 03051 · Fax: 603-595-2850 · Phone: 603-886-6030

Library History

The Hills Memorial Library was built as a memorial to Ida Virginia (Creutzborg) Hills by her husband, Dr. Alfred Hills and her mother, Mary Field Creutzborg. The land for the library was donated by Mr. Kimball Webster on September 17^th, 1904 with the intent that it hold a public library. After the death of Ida Virginia Hills on May 4^th, 1908, the town met on September 3^rd, 1908 and unanimously adopted a resolution to accept a building in her honor. Groundbreaking began in October 1908, and concluded in May 1909. The cost of the building (measuring 70’ by 50’ on the outside, and providing slightly less than 2,500 square feet of usable space) was approximately $14,000. The library was dedicated on June 11^th, 1909 (on the 22^nd anniversary of Dr. and Mrs. Hills wedding) and first served the public of Hudson on June 12^th, 1909.

At the end of the first year of operation, 830 of the town’s 1,344 residents had obtained a library card. The library held 4,153 volumes, and boasted a circulation of 5,015. At the end of 1995, 15,600 of the town’s 21,000 residents had library cards. The Hills Memorial Library currently holds over 60,000 items and has and annual circulation of over 115,000.