About The Library

Hazen Memorial Library makes a world of resources available to everyone in the Shirley community. Books and magazines are only the beginning. We also have computers, online services, an expert staff to help you, and a full range of assistive materials for people with hearing or vision loss, impaired mobility, and learning disabilities. Our facilities and staff create a comfortable setting where information and resources are "universally accessible" to all.

Affiliations

Funding for our free databases and many of our other resources is provided through the joint efforts of Central Massachusetts Regional Library System (CMRLS), the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) and the other Massachusetts Regional Systems.

Our membership in Central/Western Massachusetts Automated Resource Sharing (CW/MARS) allows the library to share an online computer system with other CW/MARS member libraries giving you catalog access to more than six million items.

For more information about these organizations go to these web sites:
CMRLS | CW/MARS | MBLC

Our Collections

Books, DVDs, music CDs, Books-On-Tape, videos (including descriptive videos for people who are blind or visually impaired and closed caption videos), magazines, foreign language tapes, and large print books are all part of our collection. If you don't find what you are looking for, we can get it from another library.

Research Help

Our staff provides expert and confidential research assistance. Drop by the reference desk, telephone us, or ask questions online through our web site and receive answers via email. We'll look across the state, nation, or world to answer your questions.

Databases

Find articles from newspapers, magazines, journals, and thousands of other publications in our databases. Many of the databases can be accessed from home with your library card.

Children's Room

We have story times for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers; not to mention fun galore for school age children-summer reading program, magic shows, puppet shows, and live animal demonstrations.

The Homework Center

Our Homework Center is available to students of all ages. Friendly staff will help you zero in on the information you need.

Meeting Room

Our Meeting Room is available to community organization and non-profit groups and is accessible to people with disabilities. Assistive listening devices are available for Meeting Room programs.

Accessibility

The library is fully accessible. Everything is on one level, with good lighting throughout and low pile carpeting to minimize echoes.

Our services for persons with disabilities include research help at the library or online, retrieval of shelved materials, and adaptive and assistive technologies.

Historical Collection

Our Historical Room houses town histories and genealogies. We also have a collection of books donated to the library by the Shirley Shaker community when they left the town in the early 20th century.