The Tilton Library in South Deerfield, Massachusetts, was built in 1916. In the late 19th century, many New England towns formed associations to promote free public libraries. This was a contrast to earlier models, which tended to be privately owned, available for subscribers only. In South Deerfield, a Village Library Association was formed in 1871. Finding funds for a building was always a challenge, and this group was only able to build a new library after a large donation was made some forty years later.