Imagine…
It’s a Wednesday morning in Johnson, Vermont. You walk into the side entrance of the new addition to the Johnson Public Library. A Librarian is surrounded by enthusiastic children who are readying to go outside to continue their storytime play on Legion Field. A friend is using the printer and computers and waves to you. You walk through the stacks in the well-lit and spacious addition, looking for a new title to take out. In your hand is a bag of old photos and documents - you’re attending the free series of genealogy research in the Community room, after the Senior Art Group meets. Also in the bag is your mug for tea and notebook - you might stay for the writing circle that follows in the Maker’s Space room. You place your bags down next to a cozy lounge chair in front of the fireplace. You get a call from a medical provider and notice that the Telehealth room is unoccupied - you step in to receive the call in privacy.
The expanded Johnson Public Library is a Community Center. It’s bustling with activity and gatherings where neighbors meet, learn, engage, and expand. The Library welcomes everyone through its doors, allowing genuine community building and strengthening.
The Library is the Heart of this community.
A Brief History
What was once a Mill town built around the Lamoille and Gihon Rivers, Johnson is now redefining itself in response to consistent flooding events that have threatened downtown infrastructure, including the Library. After the most recent devastating flood in July of 2023, it became apparent to the library staff, board of trustees, and community that the historical location of the library was no longer logical.
What was once considered a pipedream turned into reality after years of considering flood mitigation and next steps, knowing that something needed to be done if we were going to continue to have a library in Johnson. The Johnson Public Library was successfully physically moved across town to higher ground in 2025. This innovative approach to flood mitigation brought our community together with over 130 volunteers, multiple utility companies, and New England Building Movers late into the wee hours of the morning on April 25, 2025.
As the historical building sits vacant at its new location in preparation for repairs and construction of the new addition, the library operations have temporarily functioned out of the basement of the Masonic Lodge in Johnson since September of 2023. Through the resilience of the librarians, the Johnson Public Library has continued to serve its patrons, but this is not a long term solution. The historic building is set, engineers and architects have designed the building and they have been approved, the general contractor has been hired, and construction of the new addition and repairs to the historical building have started. The deadline of the completion to meet the current grant requirements is December 31, 2026.
Where We Are At
With the wider community’s continued support, we are now ready to double in size and operation at the new location. We invite you to be a part of this unprecedented growth opportunity and have a tangible positive impact on our community!
There is a gap in our funding, as there so often is with projects of this scope when inflation and rising building costs are at play. The Library received a grant from the Vermont Department of Libraries for 1.68 million dollars to help fund this project and an additional combined total $240,000 has been allocated from insurance money from the flood, small grants, and donations. The total cost of this project is 2.4 million, leaving us at 79% of our goal! With your help and the help of others, we are looking to raise $500,000 to maintain the momentum we generated through community involvement and creative innovation.
Through devastation, change, celebration, and growth, the Johnson Public Library continues to be the steady heartbeat of our community, with sights set on providing even more space, resources, time, and engagement activities as life in Johnson pivots and looks toward its future. With your help, we can rewrite Johnson's story, which contains a noteworthy undertaking of moving the over 100 year old brick Library out of the flood plain, and will continue telling our story with a larger Library, fit to serve our dynamic community. Your generosity and participation in Johnson Public Library’s legacy can help us open the doors to our community by December 31, 2026.