Portland Public Library Explained

Library Name:Portland Public Library
Country:United States
Type:Public
Established:1867
Location:Portland, Maine
Num Branches:3 (Deering, Peaks Island, Riverton)
Collection Size:238,815
Annual Circulation:895,000
Pop Served:66,194
Budget:$3,861,396
Director:Sarah Moore
Num Employees:94

Portland Public Library is the main library of the public library system in Portland, Maine, USA. It is located at 5 Monument Square on Congress Street in the Old Port of Portland, Maine. The library has three neighborhood branches, Burbank branch (in Deering), Peaks Island branch, and Riverton branch.

History

Portland Athenaeum

The Portland Athenaeum (1826–1876) was a subscription library incorporated in Portland by a collection of local residents.[1] [2] [3] [4] As gratefully noted in a local newspaper in 1826:[5]

Early supporters included Stephen Longfellow (father of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow),[6] [7] and William Willis.[8] By 1856, the Athenaeum had "160 proprietors and ... a library, in the hall second story of the Canal Bank building [on Middle Street], of 8,500 volumes."[9] James Merrill served as librarian, .[10]

In 1861, the Athenaeum erected a brick building on a lot previously purchased in Plum street.[11] By 1864, the library contained 10,647 bound books, and additional pamphlets.

In 1866, the Great Fire swept through Portland, and the Athenaeum lost its collection in the flames.[12]

Portland Institute and Public Library

Immediately following the fire in 1866, critic and writer John Neal proposed merging the Athenaeum with the libraries of the Mercantile Association, Maine Charitable Mechanic Association, and YMCA.[13] The Portland Institute and Public Library formed in January 1867, with its library located in Portland City Hall.[14] Willis served as the first president, and Neal the second. In 1876, the Athenaeum merged into the Portland Institute and Public Library; this bestowed the Atheneum's Plum Street property on the institute, although the library remained at City Hall.[15]

In January 1889, the Portland Institute and Public Library was renamed as Portland Public Library, and became free for readers to access.

Portland Public Library

In 1889, the library moved into what is now known as the Baxter Building, at 619 Congress Street.

The main library moved to Monument Square in 1979,[16] into a new construction which replaced the three-story Clapp Block.[17] A major renovation of the main building by Scott Simons Architects was completed in 2010.[18]

References

  1. Book: Genealogical and family history of the state of Maine, Volume 3 . Lewis Historical Publishing Company . 1909 . New York . Oliver Gerrish (1796-1888).
  2. Book: Special laws of the state of Maine passed by the Legislature . Portland . Smith & Robinson . 1826 . Google Books.
  3. The "Portland Athenaeum & Reading Room" had been in operation as early as 1822; cf. Eastern_Argus, 01-01-1822
  4. News: Portland Athenaeum & Reading Room . . December 13, 1825.
  5. News: Portland Athenaeum . . February 28, 1826.
  6. News: . May 16, 1826.
  7. News: . January 25, 1831.
  8. News: . December 18, 1827.
  9. Book: Beckett, S.B. . Portland Athenum . [{{Google books|-ogSAAAAYAAJ|page=312|plainurl=yes}} The Portland Directory and Reference Book for 1856–7 ]. Brown Thurston . 1856 . 312 . Google Books.
  10. Book: Beckett, S.B. . Portland Anthenæum . https://archive.org/stream/portlandreferenc00port#page/200/mode/2up . The Portland Reference Book and City Directory for 1850–51 . Thurston & Co. . 1850 . 200 . Internet Archive.
  11. Book: Willis, William . The History of Portland, from 1632 to 1864 . 2nd . Portland . Bailey & Noyes . 1865 . Google Books.
  12. Book: Neal, John . John Neal (writer) . Account of the great conflagration in Portland, July 4th, & 5th, 1866 . Portland . Starbird & Twitchell . 1866 . Google Books.
  13. Richards . Irving T. . 1933 . The Life and Works of John Neal . PhD . . Cambridge, Massachusetts . 7588473 . 1245–1247.
  14. Book: [{{Google books|oUlCAAAAYAAJ|page=14|plainurl=yes}} Dedicatory exercises of the Baxter Building: to the uses of the Portland Public Library and Maine Historical Society, Thursday, February 21, 1889 ]. Auburn, Maine . Lakeside Press . 1889 . . 15–16.
  15. Book: [{{Google books|oUlCAAAAYAAJ|page=19|plainurl=yes}} Dedicatory exercises of the Baxter Building: to the uses of the Portland Public Library and Maine Historical Society, Thursday, February 21, 1889 ]. Auburn, Maine . Lakeside Press . 1889 . . 19–23.
  16. News: Collins . Kate Irish . At 150, Portland Public Library still celebrates ideas, inclusiveness . 6 July 2020 . . 18 April 2017.
  17. Book: Ledman, Paul J. . Walking Through History: Portland, Maine on Foot . Next Steps Publishing . 2016 . 978-0-9728587-1-7 . 2.
  18. Web site: Portland Public Library Renovation. 2010. 17 July 2014. portlandarchitects.org. Portland Society for Architecture. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140725000911/http://www.portlandarchitects.org/featured/portland-public-library-renovation/. 25 July 2014.

External links

43.6577°N -70.2591°W

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