Silsby Free Public Library Serves Charlestown Residents From Main Street Location

Tucked into 226 Main Street in downtown Charlestown, Silsby Free Public Library circulates 15,458 items each year from a collection of 17,757 volumes, serving a town of 5,114 residents across Sullivan County. The library is open Tuesday through Saturday, closed Mondays, with extended Wednesday evening hours running until 7:00 PM.

The library's stated mission reaches well beyond book lending. According to its official site, Silsby exists "to facilitate learning, self-education and recreation for the whole community, to encourage children to become life-long readers, to provide library materials, programs and services to satisfy patrons' love of books, quest for information and need for recreation, to build and maintain the unique collection of historical materials specific to the Town of Charlestown and the Upper Valley region, and to function as a cultural center for the community."

That cultural role is showing up in the programming calendar. Weekly Knit and Crochet gatherings run Thursdays from 1:00 to 3:00 PM, Tween Time meets Wednesdays at 3:30 PM, and a Mommy and Me Library program is also on offer. Looking further ahead, the library has announced a July 2, 2026 event at The Fort at No. 4, where it will screen excerpts from Ken Burns' "The American Revolution" on the outdoor big screen to mark the 250th anniversary of Independence Day.

On the digital side, the library recently added Kanopy, a free streaming film platform accessible through a Silsby library account. Patrons can also borrow e-books, audiobooks, and magazines through Libby using a library card obtained by calling (603) 826-7793. NoveList Plus and NoveList Plus K-8, reading recommendation databases, are listed as coming soon on the library's website. An online catalog is accessible through the library's site, and the library maintains active Facebook and Instagram accounts for event updates.

Charlestown residents, local property owners, and employees of Charlestown businesses are eligible for free borrowing privileges. Non-residents may borrow materials for an annual fee, though the library has not published the specific amount on its public pages.

The library is governed by a Board of Trustees and staffed by a director, a Children and Youth Services Librarian, and several library assistants. Directory records maintained by Library Technology Guides list Sandra Perron as director, while the Town of Charlestown's library page identifies Jenise Sileo as Director and Children's Librarian. Both sources were current as of early 2026; the library can be reached at silsby@charlestown-nh.gov or (603) 826-7793 to clarify current staffing.

Weekly hours are Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM; Wednesday from 1:00 PM to 7:00 PM; and Saturday from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM.