Portland Public Library

History

Portland Athenaeum

The Portland Athenaeum (1826–1876) was a subscription library incorporated in Portland by a collection of local residents. As gratefully noted in a local newspaper in 1826:

Early supporters included Stephen Longfellow (father of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow), and William Willis. 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." James Merrill served as librarian, .

In 1861, the Athenaeum erected a brick building on a lot previously purchased in Plum street. 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.

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. The Portland Institute and Public Library formed in January 1867, with its library located in Portland City Hall. 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.

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, into a new construction which replaced the three-story Clapp Block. A major renovation of the main building by Scott Simons Architects was completed in 2010.

References

References

1. (1909). "Genealogical and family history of the state of Maine, Volume 3". Lewis Historical Publishing Company.
2. (1826). "Special laws of the state of Maine passed by the Legislature". Smith & Robinson.
3. The "Portland Athenaeum & Reading Room" had been in operation as early as 1822; cf. Eastern_Argus, 01-01-1822
4. (December 13, 1825). "Portland Athenaeum & Reading Room". [[Eastern Argus]].
5. (February 28, 1826). "Portland Athenaeum". [[Eastern Argus]].
6. [[Eastern Argus]]. (May 16, 1826)
7. [[Eastern Argus]]. (January 25, 1831)
8. [[Eastern Argus]]. (December 18, 1827)
9. Beckett, S.B.. (1856). ["The Portland Directory and Reference Book for 1856–7"]({{Google books). Brown Thurston.
10. Beckett, S.B.. (1850). "The Portland Reference Book and City Directory for 1850–51". Thurston & Co..
11. Willis, William. (1865). "The History of Portland, from 1632 to 1864". Bailey & Noyes.
12. Neal, John. (1866). "Account of the great conflagration in Portland, July 4th, & 5th, 1866". Starbird & Twitchell.
13. Richards, Irving T.. (1933). "The Life and Works of John Neal". [[Harvard University]].
14. (1889). ["Dedicatory exercises of the Baxter Building: to the uses of the Portland Public Library and Maine Historical Society, Thursday, February 21, 1889"]({{Google books). Lakeside Press.
15. (1889). ["Dedicatory exercises of the Baxter Building: to the uses of the Portland Public Library and Maine Historical Society, Thursday, February 21, 1889"]({{Google books). Lakeside Press.
16. (18 April 2017). "At 150, Portland Public Library still celebrates ideas, inclusiveness". [[Portland Press Herald]].
17. Ledman, Paul J.. (2016). "Walking Through History: Portland, Maine on Foot". Next Steps Publishing.
18. (2010). "Portland Public Library Renovation". Portland Society for Architecture.