I was born in Franklin, Massachusetts. It broke off from Wrentham and was named Essex for a year or so. But then the town fathers got the idea that they would rename the town after Dr. Franklin and on the basis of this honor get him to donate a church bell, which they needed to summon the farmers to worship, or in case of fire, Indian attack, etc., etc.
Dr. Franklin, however, was not of that mind. In a letter to his nephew, he wrote that he had decided that, "Sense being preferable to Sound", the farmers of Franklin would be better off with a library. So a case of books was purchased and sent off to them.
Franklin, Massachusetts now has the oldest public library in the United States. The books Dr. Franklin sent still exist and are on display in a glass and oak case in the front of the library (called Ray Memorial Library after the mill-owning family that paid to have the present main building built in the 19th Century). I know this, having spent many hours in that library during my elementary, junior high and early high school years.
I love Ben Franklin- warts and all. AND~I love the story of your hometown library!