George Tucker, our benefactor, bequeathed the Henniker community funds to build a public library. Upon learning of the generous gift, the town created a board of trustees as well as a building committee whose charge was to seek and hire an architect.  They did just that, hiring regionally recognized architect Henry Martyn Francis for his services.   Local businessman, Henry Emerson, figured prominently in this process, serving as both a trustee and member of the building committee.   Realizing that Mr. Tucker's bequest did not provide for the purchase of land for the building, Mr. Emerson, determined not to let this opportunity falter, set out and purchased the property on which the library sits.  He also donated furnishings and funds to complete the project. The Tucker Free Library, which replaced the Henniker Library, opened within 18 months of Mr. Tucker's passing with a grand event September 22, 1904.

 

The library is governed by a 5-person elected Board of Trustees to whom the managing library director reports.  There is also an active Friends Group (with a 501c3 designation) which sees to the funding of many of the extraordinary programs and projects that are beyond the scope of our operational budget.  The legislative body of the Town of Henniker votes every year to support the operations of the library at the annual town meeting in March.

 

The library has been recognized in the State of New Hampshire for the quality of the building (NH State Register of Historic Places), excellence in governance (2013 NHLTA Trustee of the Year), a dynamic community resource (2018 NHLTA Library of the Year) and a supportive Friends organization (2020 NHLTA Friends of the Year).