Our Mission
The Norman Williams Public Library enriches the intellectual, cultural, and civic life of greater Woodstock by promoting a lifelong love of reading and learning; fostering the free exchange of ideas; providing a welcoming space for people of all ages and backgrounds; and offering resources for building a more just and humane community.
Norman Williams Public Library is the cornerstone of the community, promoting lifelong learning and community collaboration. We welcome patrons and visitors to our historic building, centrally located on the Village Green. Our Reading Room, with a warm hearth, welcomes readers who appreciate quiet spaces to enjoy a broad selection of newspapers and magazines.
Let our helpful staff guide your selection from more than 70,000 sources of information. The library provides public computers, printing and copying capabilities, and secure WIFI connection. Our Wireless Woodstock provides Internet connectivity beyond our walls to the Green and a throughout a portion of the Village.
In addition, technology classes and trouble-shooting help are available on a one-to-one basis. About 400 programs a year are described on our website, including the traditional Wassail Weekend reading of A Child’s Christmas in Wales. In the Children’s Room, a nice assortment of games and puzzles — including a Medieval castle table, building bricks, and a dollhouse – delight children of all ages. For a copy of our printable brochure, click here or pick up a copy at the Circulation desk.
Please come and visit!
Strategic Plan
The role of the library in the community is constantly evolving. Library leaders across the country write about the change in library service from transactional, where staff assist patrons in borrowing books, to relational, where patrons are looking at the library as a source for social engagement and learning. On a daily basis, our patrons tell us what they need by the questions they ask and the comments they make. It is the responsibility of the library to continue to evaluate its mission to ensure that its vision of the future remains relevant and accountable and matches the needs of the community.
We sincerely thank our community for their participation in our strategic planning process. Understanding the needs of our patrons and partners, as well as our financial supporters, is imperative to prioritizing our work over the course of the next several years. These voices help guide our decisions and our goals. (more)