The Beardsley and Memorial Library is a private library association dedicated to providing public library service to the towns of Barkhamsted, Colebrook, and Winchester.  It is supported by taxpayer dollars and by generous donors.  It was started in 1874 when Mrs. Elliot Beardsley gave seven trustees $10,000 to establish a library in West Winsted.  In 1899 the Library became a free public library.  Today the library offers books, CDs, cassette tapes, computers, DVDs, video tapes, and library programs to its many users.