History of the West Deptford Free Public Library
West Deptford Free Public Library was officially organized and incorporated on Nov. 22, 1965. It all started in 1963 with an article that was published in the Woodbury Times, stating books were being collected to start a library in West Deptford Township. With only 5,000 donated books, the library opened its doors at the old Thorofare #3 School. Francis Yanus offered to be the chairperson and formed a committee of volunteers.
The original charter members/Trustees:
In 1972, long time Trustee President Jack Umphress had a mission and moved the growing library collection to the old West Deptford town hall. And in 1977, the West Deptford library became, by law, a member of the county library system. By 1979, the voters of the township created a municipal library, and the search began to secure funding for a new and much larger facility. Finally, in 1988, the new library was built on the site of the Marshall D. Hinman Field on Crown Point Rd. The West Deptford Free Public library remained at the 420 Crown Point Road location until November of 2025 when the library moved to its current location, the newly renovated, former Colonial Manor Firehall, on Academy Ave.
