The Norwell Public Library Foundation was established in 2005, with the purpose of raising private funds to support a new municipal library building project. It took 12 years to come to fruition, and in 2017, the town voted to build a new library through a debt exclusion tax override. The town was able to pay for the project in its entirety thanks to the generosity of Norwell taxpayers and a grant from the Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program, so Foundation fundraising efforts were minimal. However, NPL Foundation funds were used to purchase and install bike racks, benches, and other amenities for the new library courtyard… and the doors opened to the public on June 14, 2021.  

Arguably our most beautiful municipal building, the Norwell Public Library serves as a community gathering center that offers not only an extensive book lending system (with no late fees!) but allows residents to borrow unique items such as sewing machines, microscopes, and cornhole boards. It boasts a spacious community room that hosts over 300 free community events per year and doubles as an art gallery. There are private study rooms, outdoor decks, and a bustling children’s room that offers more than 200 free programs and activities each year. The library offers something for everyone and had over 92,000 walk-in visits in 2024!

Thanks to a generous $10,000 bequest to the NPL Foundation from Joan Roberts in 2023, the Foundation was re-imagined and a new board was established in March 2025. 

Please join us in our mission to invest in the future of the Norwell Public Library, and to ensure that this spectacular community center will have the resources necessary to remain a dynamic, vibrant facility for years to come.