The Westport Library

The Westport Library is a public library in the town of Westport, Connecticut that was originally established on February 4, 1886 by members of the Westport Reading-Room and Library Association.Morris Ketchum Jesup, born in 1830 to a country doctor, amassed a fortune in the railroad business and became the benefactor of the library, donating the land and $5,000 for the building. In April 1908, the Westport Public Library was completed at a cost of $75,000 and dedicated to the custody of the Westport Library Association by Jesup's wife, following the wishes of her husband who died four months earlier.In June 1984, plans were announced to build a new library on a site adjacent to Jesup Green on the Saugatuck River.