Libraries
Education happened outside the school classroom as well. Libraries in Willimantic had several collections for a variety of readers. Allen B. Lincoln provides a list of the libraries located in the city in 1910:
- The Willimantic Public Library had its beginnings in the mid 19th century and had several locations over the course of that century. It was created on behalf of the Willimantic Library Association. Later in 1871, the borough paid $125.00 for the library to be called the Willimantic Public Library. The librarian during the period under study was Mrs. Bell Baldwin Riggleman who began working there in May 1st, 1901. The annual mayor's report included holdings by genre, as well as circulation numbers. In 1910 the library had 7,800 books, 26,000 books circulated that year (mostly fiction and juvenile fiction), and four books had to be "destroyed after scarlet fever", presumably due to a patron becoming infected.
- Dunham Hall Library, founded in February of 1878 by the Willimantic Linen Company and later supported by the American Thread Company after their merger in 1898. The library was primarily intended for mill workers but towns-people had full access to it.
- Tabard Inn Library, a membership library founded in 1902. For a five cent fee members could borrow books at locations, usually stores, around the country. The books were displayed in a revolving bookcase. The Tabard Inn Library in Willimantic was located in the Leonard Prescription Drugstore at 780 Main Street.
- The Windham Free Library was opened in 1897 in Windham Center and was located in the old building that had been in use by the Windham National Bank. Mrs. Julia Swift was the librarian until her death in 1915, her former assistant Miss Grace Bates acted as librarian afterwards. The library is said to have contained many valuable and interesting books in fictions, history, travel, and biographies.