Library at IYRS

IYRS needs a proper school library; the Museum of Yachting needs an appropriate and safe place for its collection of books. And with that, part of the rationale was born for the merger of IYRS and MOY. On September 8, the first day of the 2009-2010 academic year, the consolidated school and museum library opened on the fourth floor of the Aquidneck mill building.

Approximately 1,550 square feet, the new library has been an integral part of the mill building restoration. Located on the top floor of the mill, it commands extraordinary views of the harbor and its entrance from Narragansett Bay. Ted Graves, an IYRS trustee and architect with restoration and library experience, took on the lead role in the project. The library joinery is constructed in oak, and the lighting is both aesthetically pleasing and library functional.

Not only does the library contain more than 4,000 nautical titles and some 100 rare books, but it also houses windows into our maritime past: logbooks, yacht registers, and yacht club directories. The earliest book in the collection is Epitome of the Art of Navigation, published in 1722. In addition to the books, the library has complete collections of many periodicals, including The Rudder from 1898 on, and Yachting magazine from 1923 on. For research purposes, four new Macs, a scanner, and a high-powered color printer have been installed in cubicles. The new facility has been designated a research center, focused on IYRS student needs, but open to the public. The hope is to attract a broad range of interest, especially among younger folks in the community who can get acquainted with their important link to the history of yachting. We’d like the facility to be a catalyst for new and deeper interest in the school and the museum. IYRS has already been discussing collaborative programming with the local public library and area secondary schools.

Library Hours

Tuesday-Thursday: 12pm to 7pm

Friday: 12pm to 5pm

Saturday: 10am to 1pm

Library is closed Sunday and Monday.