Library Renovation Project Updates

 

Update July 22nd, 2026

The library building at 200 Main Street has reopened! Please note that some services and collections will be unavailable due to ongoing site work and unpacking:

• We will continue to be closed on Mondays while minor building work continues.
• The courtyard and courtyard entrance to the library are not yet accessible.
• The study room is not yet available for reservations.
• Microfilm of the Vineyard Gazette is not currently available. In August we will have a new microfilm reader capable of digitizing pages.
• Public printing and computer use are limited but WiFi is available.
• Books shelved in the adult stacks on the lower level are not fully arranged in order so some items may be difficult to locate, but there are lots of books to browse!

Update July 16th, 2026

Our satellite library at 15 Church Street is closing today, Friday July 16th! If you have an item on hold you will be able to pick up today between 10am and 6pm. No other services are available today. If you are unable to pick up today, your items on hold will be available at 200 Main Street when we reopen. We tentatively plan to open the renovated building at 200 Main Street on Tuesday July 21st in the afternoon. Please check our website for confirmation of opening date and time. Please continue to return items using the book drop at Church Street, or just hold on to your items until we reopen the renovated building. 

Update July 10th, 2026

The Church Street Satellite Library is Closing! Saturday July 11th is  the last day the little library will be open for browsing and computer use. 

Starting Tuesday July 14th,  if you have an item waiting on hold, you can pick it up at the circulation desk at 15 Church Street, using the parking lot entrance, the front entrance and the rest of the building will be closed while we pack up. 

Please continue to return items using the book drop at Church Street, or just hold on to your items until we reopen the renovated building. We plan to open 200 Main Street on July 21st, with a grand opening celebration on Saturday July 25th!

Update July 4th, 2026

We are working hard to complete the renovated library as soon as possible for you to enjoy this summer! Our plan is to have the 200 Main Street building open by July 21st, though some services and collections may not be immediately available upon opening. The Church Street Library will remain open regular hours this week, but our schedule and services may be reduced as our move progresses. 

Update June 22nd, 2026

You will see moving trucks at the library building at 200 Main Street this week as we begin to move shelving fixtures back into the building. The project is nearing completion, but renovation work is ongoing. The Satellite Library at 15 Church Street will remain open in June, and a July reopening date will be announced soon!

Special Library Hours and Limited Services for July 14th-20th

 Library Hours for July 14th-20th

15 Church St Open for Holds Pickup and Book Returns Only

Tuesday July 14th: 10 am - 6 pm 
Wednesday July 15th: 10 am - 6 pm
Thursday July 16th: 10 am - 6 pm
BOTH LOCATIONS CLOSED Friday July 17th - Monday July 20th

Building Renovation Project Update

The Church Street Satellite Library is Closing! Today, Saturday July 11th, is the last day the little library will be open for browsing and computer use. Holds pickup will continue the following week, though hours are subject to change. 

Starting Tuesday July 14th,  if you have an item waiting on hold, you can pick it up at the circulation desk at 15 Church Street, using the parking lot entrance. The front entrance and the rest of the building will be closed while we pack up. Both library buildings will be closed from Friday July 17th through Monday July 20th.

Please continue to return items using the book drop in the Church Street parking lot, or just hold on to your items until we reopen the renovated building. We plan to re-open 200 Main Street in the afternoon on July 21st, with a concert in the new community room featuring the Tristan Israel Band at 6pm. A grand opening celebration will be held on Saturday July 25th! Continue to check our blog or follow us on Facebook for the latest information.

Download our Program Brochure or visit our event calendar

Spring Library Hours Update

 ** Library Hours Update **

This Sunday March 22nd will be the last Sunday the library is open for the Season -- the library will be closed on Sundays until the fall.

 
Starting in April, the library will also be CLOSED ON MONDAYS, to facilitate planning and preparation for the reopening of the renovated building at 200 Main Street. Monday hours will resume when the Main Street library reopens. 

We regret any inconvenience to our library patrons, but hope this approach will minimize the need to fully close the library for an extended period prior to reopening.

UPDATED: Library Closures, Cancellations, and Storm Information

Updated 2/25:

Vineyard Haven Library will open late at NOON today, Wed Feb 25th. Please note our parking lot may not be accessible.

This week's meeting of the Great Decisions Discussion Group has been postponed due to the ongoing weather event and power outages.

Afternoon Crafts at the EMS Building is CANCELLED today.

Our Virtual event "Burglary at the Louvre" will be held as scheduled at 7pm, register here.

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Updated 2/24:

Vineyard Haven Library will be closed for the day on Tues Feb 24th due to the ongoing weather event.

West Tisbury Emergency Management will operate a warming center at the West Tisbury Library on Tuesday.

Story circle at the MV Family Center is cancelled today, the Family Center will be closed.

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Due to the scheduled downtown Parking Ban and anticipated weather conditions, the library will be closed on Sunday February 22nd and Monday February 23rd.

The Town of Tisbury has issued a parking ban from noon Sunday February 22nd through 11pm Monday February 23rd for the following roads:

Union Street
Spring Street
Center Street
Church Street
William Street
Clough Lane 
Frankline Street
Main Street
Skiff Avenue
Renear Street
All Town Parking Lots

IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Blizzard Conditions Expected – MV Closures & Shelter Info

D

Dukes County Emergency Management Association (DCEMA)

to me

34 minutes agoDetails

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Sunday, February 22, 2026

Media Contact:

Jennelle Gadowski

Public Information Officer

Dukes County Emergency Management Association

774-563-6110

emd@westtisbury-ma.gov

@DukesCountyEM | @WestTisburyEMD

Winter Storm Hernando Expected to Bring Blizzard Conditions, Heavy Wet Snow & Strong Winds

Dukes County Emergency Management Association (DCEMA), in coordination with the National Weather Service Boston/Norton, is advising all Dukes County residents and visitors to prepare for Winter Storm Hernando, a high-impact Nor’easter is expected to bring heavy snowfall and blizzard conditions to Martha’s Vineyard Sunday evening through Monday evening. Total accumulations of 12-24 inches are possible. Residents are urged to monitor official forecasts at weather.gov/boston and follow @NWSBoston for updates.

 

Expected Impacts

Dangerous travel conditions dangerous and near-zero visibility

Heavy wet snow combined with strong winds

Downed trees and widespread power outages possible

Coastal flooding and beach erosion during early Monday high tide

Hazardous marine conditions with storm-force winds and 15-25 ft seas

 

Shelter Guidance

Residents and visitors are strongly advised to shelter in place at home during the storm and avoid unnecessary travel. Staying off the roads allows Highway Departments, first responders, and utility crews to safely conduct snow removal and emergency operations. For those experiencing power outages or unsafe heating conditions, the following shelters will be available:

 

Daytime Warming Center – West Tisbury              

West Tisbury Free Public Library                                              

1042 State Road, West Tisbury                                       

Monday, February 23 8AM-6PM                                          

Wi-Fi and device charging available                           

 

Overnight Shelter – Harbor Homes of MV

111 New York Avenue, Oak Bluffs

Opens 6PM Sunday through 8AM Tuesday

For entry after 7PM, call 774-563-3687

Meals provided. Regular shelter rules in effect

Emergency Animal & Livestock Shelter – West Tisbury                 

Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Society

35 Panhandle Road, West Tisbury                              

Contact: Christopher Lyons at 508-889-7891 or facilities@mvagsoc.org

Rules and Regulations: marthasvineyardagriculturalsociety.org/emergency-shelter

Library Board of Trustees 2025 Annual Report

The year 2025 was an exciting period of transition and progress for Tisbury’s Public Library, as construction began on the Library’s long-planned renovation project. The project will address critical building infrastructure needs and create a new multipurpose meeting room for programs and community use. While undertaking this major project, the Library continued to provide essential services and advance its mission as a community center, meeting the informational, cultural, and recreational needs of Island residents and visitors alike.

We look forward to welcoming the community to the fully renovated and expanded Library this summer. The building will include a spacious new meeting room and expanded reading room with garden views, improved IT infrastructure, and refreshed interiors throughout. Among other highlights, the Children’s Room will feature a mural by Margot Datz, made possible by a gift from the Kathryn Goodman Foundation.

The Library Trustees gratefully acknowledge all those whose dedication and hard work have brought the project to this milestone, including the Library staff (past and present), the Building Design & Construction Committee, the Library Building Fund Board, the Friends of the Library, the Tisbury Select Board, Town Administrator, and other Town departments, and the generosity of our many donors, volunteers, and the community. 

View our Annual Report for 2025

Library Closures and Storm Information

• Local, off-season music and dancing with the Delanie & Johnny scheduled for Sunday February 8th has been cancelled and will be rescheduled.

Greenwood Avenue Road Closure September 15th - 19th

Road Closure Next Week for Library Construction, September 15th - 19th!

Due to construction work taking place at the 200 Main Street library next week, Greenwood Avenue between Main Street and North William Street in Tisbury will be closed to through traffic Monday to Friday from 7am to 5pm. The road will be open to abutters and residents only during these work hours.

Move to Interim Library: Schedule Updates & Frequently Asked Questions

 

A major renovation of the library building at 200 Main Street will begin in the coming weeks. During construction, library services will be available at our "satellite" library at 15 Church Street. As we prepare, some library collections are being put into storage or relocated -- if you are having trouble finding something, please ask! 

When will the library building close for renovations? 

• The library building at 200 Main Street will remain open through Tuesday, April 15th, then close for construction, to reopen following completion of the renovation.
• The library will be closed to the public on Wednesday, April 16th through Monday April 21st, in order to complete the move to the satellite library at 15 Church Street. Library phones will be down for the day.
• The Church Street Library is planned to open with limited services at 1pm on Tuesday, April 22nd, and will be open for regularly scheduled hours throughout the renovation of 200 Main Street.

What will be available at the Church Street Library?

• More than 10% of the library collection will be moved to the interim library, including new and popular items for all ages.
• The library will continue to purchase new books, subscribe to magazines and newspapers, and recieve delivery from other CLAMS libraries and the Commonwealth Catalog.
• Some regular library programs will be temporarily paused or offered at other locations, please refer to our event calendar for the most up-to-date information.
• The interim library will have public computers, scanning, and printing services, but no table seating for internet use. WiFi hotspots and chromebook computers will be available to checkout for home use.

Will the Church Street Library have a book drop? How will I return books when the building is closed?

• Please return your items in the library book drop at 200 Main Street through Monday April 21st, or at another island library.
• The Church Street Library will have an outdoor book return available starting Tuesday April 22nd, next to the parking lot entrance to the library.
• Some items returned while the library is closed may not be checked in immediately, but no fines will accrue - Martha's Vineyard libraries do not charge late fees.

Can I continue to place holds on items?

• The library will be closed in both locations Wednesday April 16th through Monday April 21st, and holds will not be available for pickup those days. If you need an item right away, consider temporarily changing your pickup location to another island library.
• When the Church Street Library opens, you will be able to place holds on items from the CLAMs and Commonwealth Catalog collections, and pick them up at the Church Street library.
• Holds will be extended on items not picked up by Tuesday April 15th, so they can be picked up at the Church Street Library the following week.

Where can I park when visiting the Church Street Library?

• The library has two short-term parking spaces directly in front of the parking lot entrance (where the book drop is) Visitors will need to utilize street parking if those spaces are full. 
• Please do not park in any of the marked spaces in the parking lot that are reserved for building tenants.

Will the library have programs and meetings in the temporary space?

• The Church Street Library does not have a meeting space, but library programs will continue to be offered in-person at various locations in Vineyard Haven, or online.
• Storytime with Weezie will be held at 10am on Mondays at Grace Church.
• Yoga with Kat will be held at 11am on Mondays at the Tisbury Senior Center.
• Visit our event calendar for detailed program information, or subscribe to our weekly email newsletter.
• Thanks to donations from the community, the library renovation project includes the addition of a new community meeting room that will be available when we reopen at 200 Main Street!

The Library will be temporarily closed on Fridays, to allow staff to prepare for moving the collection. Hours will be expanded following the move to the satellite library.

Attend the Library Renovation Information Session, New Dates Added

The Library Board of Trustees invites you to attend one of our upcoming information sessions, on Zoom at 6pm on Wednesday, November 13th, or in-person at the library at 6pm Tuesday December 10th.

This will be an opportunity to hear from the design team and learn more about  plans for a comprehensive renovation of the library building. The project will break ground in FY2025, pending completion of the capital campaign and appropriation of funding for building repairs at the Tisbury Special Town Meeting on December 17th. 

To learn more, visit the Building Committe project webpage, or click here to watch a four minute video about the project. To support this project by making a donation, visit the Vineyard Haven Library Building Fund, Inc. Capital Campaign website.

Free Online Newspaper Access, At Home or In the Library

You can now access the New York Times and Washington Post online for free using your library card. The links below will take you to library landing page where you can sign in for unlimited access to the newspaper website with a 3-day or 7-day pass -- you can renew your pass whenever needed by returning to the library website. Library newspaper passes will allow you to access this content anywhere you have internet access, on any device. This free access is made possible by the Martha's Vineyard Library Association with support from Friends of island libraries.

To access the Washington Post online HERE and enter the required fields to create a Washington Post account for unlimited 7-day access. Renew your seven day pass by returning to the library website. You may use this login and password for every future visit to the Washington Post online.



To access New York Times online click HERE and enter the code c59d2806040934a2. Then create a username and password for unlimited 3-day access. Renew your three day pass by returning to the library website. You may use this login and password for every future visit to the New York Times online.
 

Free Home Access to Washington Post & New York Times Online

You can now access the New York Times and Washington Post online for free using your library card. The links below will take you to library landing page where you can sign in for unlimited access to the newspaper website with a 3-day or 7-day pass -- you can renew your pass whenever needed by returning to the library website. Library newspaper passes will allow you to access this content anywhere you have internet access, on any device. This free access is made possible by the Martha's Vineyard Library Association with support from Friends of island libraries.

To access the Washington Post online HERE and enter the required fields to create a Washington Post account for unlimited 7-day access. Renew your seven day pass by returning to the library website. You may use this login and password for every future visit to the Washington Post online.



To access New York Times online click HERE and enter the code c59d2806040934a2. Then create a username and password for unlimited 3-day access. Renew your three day pass by returning to the library website. You may use this login and password for every future visit to the New York Times online.

Library CLOSED for Maintenance Friday August 26th

Vineyard Haven Library will be closed for the day on Friday, August 26th, for building maintenance and staff training. Reopening for regular hours on Saturday August 27th.

Temporary Schedule Changes

Vineyard Haven Library is now open daily for 30-minute visits. Beginning January 15th, the library will be open half-days on Saturdays from 1 pm to 5 pm. This will help the library maintain consistent seven day service with current staffing limitations. We plan to resume full day Saturday services in the near future. Temporary library hours will be:

Monday from 10 am to 5 pm
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday from 10 am to 6 pm
Friday, Saturday, Sunday from 1 pm to 5 pm

Curbside pickup will be available by appointment when the building is closed.

The library is open for 30-minute computer use, grab & go browsing, and holds pickup. Table seating is temporarily unavailable inside the building, and all patrons are asked to keep their library visits to 30 minutes or less, following the recommendations of the Tisbury Health Department.

Patrons needing extended internet access are invited to checkout a WiFi hotspot or Chromebook computer for home use. Home delivery and contactless pickup are available on request. Visit the "COVID-19 Services" page on our website for an up-to-date summary of currently available services.

Curbside Services on Thurs, Dec 23rd, Sun Dec 26th, & Mon Dec 27th

Due to a COVID positive exposure to library staff and out of an abundance of caution, the library building will be closed to the public on Thursday, and will offer curbside service only.

The library will be closed for the holidays on Friday December 24th and Saturday December 25th.

On Sunday, December 26th, and Monday December 27th, the library will provide curbside services in the library entryway, including holds pickup, browsing the new book and express bestseller carts, and will have Wifi hotspots and Chromebook computers available for checkout.

Update on Vineyard Haven Library Services

Due to a higher number of cases of COVID-19 locally and regionally, the Tisbury Health Department has recommended that the library temporarily reintroduce time limits and other precautions in the library building.

For the time being, table seating will be limited, and all patrons are asked to keep their library visits to 30 minutes or less. Use of library computers will be limited to one 30 minute session per day. For patrons needing longer term internet access, the library has WiFi hotspots and Chromebook computers available for checkout.

Throughout the library all patrons over the age of two are required to wear a face covering, regardless of personal vaccination status. If you or a family member are experiencing symptoms of illness including fever, cough, or shortness or breath, please postpone your visit until you are feeling better.

Thank you for helping us to create a safe environment for all library visitors.

New Fall/Winter Schedule, Including Sunday Hours!

The Vineyard Haven library building is now open daily for 30-minute computer use, grab & go browsing, and holds pickup. The Children's Room is open for 15-minute express browsing by one family group at a time, no appointment needed.

Regular hours effective October 17th:

Sunday: 1 pm to 5 pm

Monday: 10 am to 5 pm

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday: 10 am to 6 pm

Friday: 1 pm to 5 pm

Saturday: 10 am to 5 pm

Table seating is temporarily unavailable inside the building. Patrons are invited to use seating in the library courtyard to access library WiFi, or checkout a WiFi hotspot for home use. Visit the "COVID-19 Services" page on our website for an up-to-date summary of currently available library services.

Library Now Open 10am to 5pm Tuesday - Friday, 1pm to 5pm Saturday

The main floor of the library is now open for 30-minute computer use, grab & go browsing, and holds pickup Tuesday through Friday from 10 am to 5 pm & Saturday from 1 pm to 5 pm. Contactless pickup is available in the library entryway on Mondays from 10 amto 5 pm. The Library will be closed for the holiday on Monday July 5th.

The Children's Room is open for browsing by one family group at a time, and appointments are recommended. Toys, table seating, and computers have been temporarily removed from the Children's Room, and children must be accompanied at all times by an adult caregiver. Browsing time is limited to 15 minutes, so please call ahead if you are looking for specific items, and remember to bring your library card. Our newest books for children are currently located in the main library, where no appointment is needed during open hours.

CLICK HERE to see available dates and times and to reserve a time to visit the Children's Room.

Visit the "COVID-19 Services" page on our website for an up-to-date summary of currently available library services.

WiFi Hotspots Now Available to Borrow!

Vineyard Haven library is now lending out WiFi hotspots to patrons for two-week loan periods. WiFi hotspots are portable devices that allow you to connect to the Internet through your phone, laptop or tablet. Multiple devices in the same household can use WiFi hotspots, and you can also take them with you wherever you go (although not outside the continental U.S.!) If you’ve never used a hotspot before, we will be happy to instruct you on the basics.

Vineyard Haven library cardholders may contact the library to request a hotspot. Please note that you will be asked to fill out a user agreement before checking out the hotspot. Hotspots are non-renewable and must be returned in person to an employee at the library. Please do not place them in the book drop! Questions? Call or email Reference Librarian Ruth Konigsberg at 508-696-4211 x115.

In addition to hotspots the library has other equipment you can borrow, including a digital projector, and Kindle Paperwhite eReaders that come preloaded with popular books! We'll be adding additional hotspots soon, along with Chromebook computers to use at home.

Please Take the Library Survey!

As we navigate through the current COVID-19 crisis, the library wants to continue to provide information, services and assistance to our community members.

Please take a few minutes to complete this survey - your responses will guide us as we plan what services to offer in the coming weeks. We appreciate your feedback and hope to see you soon!

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BRJN723