Pearle L. Crawford Memorial Library

The mission of the Pearle L. Crawford Memorial Library is to provide members of our diverse community with equal access to traditional and electronic media, programs, and exhibits that will encourage lifelong learning, expand cultural horizons, facilitate research, and inspire curiosity.

History of the Crawford Library

The Dudley Free Public Library was instituted in Dudley in 1896, and the facility opened in 1897 in a first-floor room within the Chaseville School on Schofield Avenue with $300 worth of books. In 1901, it moved into a new home at One Village Street where it existed, with one expansion, until 2010 (the lot and cement slab for the Village Street location were donated by Stevens Linen). In July of 2010, the Library moved into a brand new building at 40 Schofield Avenue, the site of the former Town Hall.