Whose house was this?
In the 1920s, the Trustees of the Jones Library decided to create a library building that would embody the image of "Mother Amherst welcoming her children" into a large, overgrown Colonial revival style home. The original reading rooms were designed to resemble living rooms with wood paneling and fireplaces, oil paintings, sculpture, and oriental rugs. They very consciously rejected the Carnegie library style at the time which sought to create a "temple of learning."

In 1993, the original building was enlarged with a glass-roofed center courtyard and new Reference, Audiovisual, and Special Collections rooms. The front face of the library remains the same, however, and the interior rooms preserve its traditional homelike atmosphere. While some people seem to live here, this was never a private home.

Show All Answers

1. How do I apply for a Jones Library card?
2. How many items can I borrow?
3. How can I renew my items?
4. How does the library calculate overdue fines?
5. What happens if I have overdue items?
6. What if I lose or damage something?
7. Can I pay fines and replacement fees online?
8. Does the library have any apps?
9. I think the library should own a particular item. Can I suggest that you purchase it?
10. I'm not able to visit the library. Are there services for the homebound?
11. Can I use a library meeting room?
12. Can I borrow museum passes?
13. Can I borrow musical instruments?
14. Can I borrow a Wi-Fi hotspot?
15. Can I print from home?
16. Can I apply for a library card at other libraries in Amherst?
17. Can I volunteer at the library?
18. How can I get a job at the library?
19. Can the library proctor my exam?
20. Can I donate used books to the library?
21. Are donations to the library tax deductible?
22. Do the public libraries close on school snow days?
23. Who is in charge of the library?
24. Whose house was this?