Davisville Free Library (DFL) began in 1917 as a reading room in Davisville, RI run by the local school teacher. Book donations comprised the collection until a few years later when the state of Rhode Island funded about two-hundred dollars towards the purchase of new books. In around 1919, a library committee was formed. At one committee meeting, according to George Loxton, the Dyer family presented a deed to a parcel of land on the west side of Davisville Road. The library building was funded by a number of donors, but most of the funds were from the Davis family.

There have been a number of librarians since the library opened including Harriet Johnes (1918, 1920-21), Lua Glenwright (1918-1919), Lotti Straight (1919-1950), Marion Wellen (1950-1951), Marion Barber (1951-1998), Patrica DiBella (1999 - 2004), and Sarah Ornstein (2004 to present).

The current library collection includes a variety of current and classic resources, both fiction and non-fiction, as well as a genealogy collection of local family papers. All ages are welcome to browse the shelves and online using the library electronic resources.

DFL recommends that you borrow, or purchase at the library, a copy of George Loxton's:
"Davisville, Rhode Island" for more historic details about the library and the village of Davisville. This brief history page is based on information in Loxton's book.