Since 1905, the Abbott Memorial Library has been an important resource for the Town of Pomfret. A generous gift by the Abbott family provided land and money for the construction of the Library in 1903. For over a century Abbott Library has provided the children and adults of Pomfret access to books, and, in recent years, access to books-on-tape, videos, DVDs, and Internet access. Thanks to supportive community funding through town appropriations and private donations, the Library has met state accreditation standards continually since 1999.

For the past thirty years, the Library's primary strength has been its commitment to instilling a love of books and reading in the children of Pomfret. Beginning in the 1970s it served as the school library, a role it continued until the consolidated Pomfret School opened in 1991. Today, the Library continues this tradition with active programming for children, a cooperative relationship with the Pomfret School, and an excellent children's collection.

While it has focused on children, the Abbott Library is uniquely situated as a valuable resource for all Town residents. Its architecturally striking building (a historic landmark) is recognized as a place where community groups can gather for meetings or library-sponsored programming, and, in many ways, it serves as a town center for a geographically spread out community. The Library houses a fine historical collection helping to document the history of Pomfret and neighboring towns. A rapid and efficient interlibrary loan system sponsored by the State Library provides Pomfret residents with access to a universe of information and recreational materials.