In 1928, a group of local woman known as the Middleport Study Club formed the Middleport Free Library. Under their direction, a reading room was opened in the Universalist Church Parish Hall in January of 1929. The Boy Scouts collected donated books, and a local theater fundraised funds through a benefit show. During the early years, the library had many homes. In 1942, the library received the generous gift of the Roger Stilts house on Vernon Street and that is the current location of the Royalton Hartland Community Library.
On November 11th, 1945, the Middleport Free Library was dedicated to the men and women who served our country in World War II. On the 50th anniversary, the library was rededicated to honor them in 1995.
The library has grown throughout the years and has been a vital, active resource in the community. The library changed it’s name to the Royalton Hartland Community Library and serves the service area of the Royalton Hartland Central School District, serving residents in Middleport, Hartland, Royalton and portions of the towns Shelby and Lockport.
The Middleport Free Library (the “Association”) was issued a provisional charter by the Board of Regents of the State of New York on July 19, 1929. The charter was extended by the Board of Regents on December 29, 1940, and made absolute by action of the Regents on April 18, 1947. The Association Charter was further amended by action of the Regents and adopted on December 15, 2009. Effective upon approval by the Regents of the petition of the Association to be recognized as an “association district” library, the name of the Association was changed to be recognized as an “association district” library, the name of the Association was changed to the “Royalton Hartland Community Library,” approval granted on April 5, 2012. The Association includes residents of the Royalton Hartland Central School District.