Portland Public Library

The Portland Athenaeum (1826–1876) was a subscription library incorporated in Portland by a collection of local residents.{{cite book |title=Genealogical and family history of the state of Maine, Volume 3 |publisher=Lewis Historical Publishing Company |year=1909 |location=New York |chapter=Oliver Gerrish (1796-1888)}}{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IS84AAAAIAAJ |title=Special laws of the state of Maine passed by the Legislature |location=Portland |publisher=Smith & Robinson |year=1826 |via=Google Books}}The "Portland Athenaeum & Reading Room" had been in operation as early as 1822; cf. Eastern_Argus, 01-01-1822{{cite news |title=Portland Athenaeum & Reading Room |work=Eastern Argus |date=December 13, 1825}} As gratefully noted in a local newspaper in 1826:{{cite news |title=Portland Athenaeum |work=Eastern Argus |date= February 28, 1826}}

{{Blockquote

|text=Such an institution has long been a desideratum among us. Other towns inferior to this in size and wealth have gone before us in the career of literary enterprize ... and yet we are not willing to allow that there is any lack of literary elements in the town, but they lie scattered and dormant. There is no common centre of gravity to bring them into healthful action; they are like coals lying asunder which give no heat. We have scholars in town ... but their lights are hid under a bushel. ... We want an institution which shall bring them in contact, and give them the benefit of mutual light and heat, and action. ... [It] shall combine a reading-room, a library and cabinet. ... It is contemplated to unite, if practicable, the two reading-rooms now open in town, together with the Portland Library.

|source=Eastern Argus}}

Early supporters included Stephen Longfellow (father of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow),{{cite news |work=Eastern Argus |date= May 16, 1826}}{{cite news |work=Eastern Argus |date=January 25, 1831}} and William Willis.{{cite news |work=Eastern Argus |date=December 18, 1827}} 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."{{cite book |chapter=Portland Athenum |first=S.B. |last=Beckett |url={{Google books|-ogSAAAAYAAJ|page=312|plainurl=yes}}|title=The Portland Directory and Reference Book for 1856–7 |publisher=Brown Thurston |year=1856 |page=312 |via=Google Books}} James Merrill served as librarian, {{circa|1850}}.{{cite book |chapter=Portland Anthenæum |first=S.B. |last=Beckett |chapter-url=https://archive.org/stream/portlandreferenc00port#page/200/mode/2up |title=The Portland Reference Book and City Directory for 1850–51 |publisher=Thurston & Co. |year=1850 |page=200 |via=Internet Archive}}

In 1861, the Athenaeum erected a brick building on a lot previously purchased in Plum street.{{cite book |first=William |last=Willis |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZMsrAAAAYAAJ |title=The History of Portland, from 1632 to 1864 |edition=2nd |location=Portland |publisher=Bailey & Noyes |year=1865 |via=Google Books}} 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.{{cite book |first=John |last=Neal |author-link=John Neal |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5GwUAAAAYAAJ |title=Account of the great conflagration in Portland, July 4th, & 5th, 1866 |location=Portland |publisher=Starbird & Twitchell |date=1866 |via=Google Books}}

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.{{cite thesis | last = Richards | first = Irving T. | date = 1933 | title = The Life and Works of John Neal | degree = PhD | publisher = Harvard University | location = Cambridge, Massachusetts | url = http://id.lib.harvard.edu/alma/990038995990203941/catalog | oclc = 7588473 | pages = 1245–1247}} The Portland Institute and Public Library formed in January 1867, with its library located in Portland City Hall.{{cite book |url={{Google books|oUlCAAAAYAAJ|page=14|plainurl=yes}} |title=Dedicatory exercises of the Baxter Building: to the uses of the Portland Public Library and Maine Historical Society, Thursday, February 21, 1889 |location=Auburn, Maine |publisher=Lakeside Press |year=1889 |via=Google Books |pages=15–16}} 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.{{cite book |url={{Google books|oUlCAAAAYAAJ|page=19|plainurl=yes}} |title=Dedicatory exercises of the Baxter Building: to the uses of the Portland Public Library and Maine Historical Society, Thursday, February 21, 1889 |location=Auburn, Maine |publisher=Lakeside Press |year=1889 |via=Google Books |pages=19–23}}

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

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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,{{cite news |last1=Collins |first1=Kate Irish |title=At 150, Portland Public Library still celebrates ideas, inclusiveness |url=https://www.pressherald.com/2017/04/18/at-150-portland-public-library-still-celebrates-ideas-inclusiveness/ |accessdate=6 July 2020 |work=Portland Press Herald |date=18 April 2017}} into a new construction which replaced the three-story Clapp Block.{{Cite book |last=Ledman |first=Paul J. |title=Walking Through History: Portland, Maine on Foot |publisher=Next Steps Publishing |year=2016 |isbn=978-0-9728587-1-7 |page=2}} A major renovation of the main building by Scott Simons Architects was completed in 2010.{{Cite web|url = http://www.portlandarchitects.org/featured/portland-public-library-renovation/|title = Portland Public Library Renovation|date = 2010|accessdate = 17 July 2014|website = portlandarchitects.org|publisher = Portland Society for Architecture|url-status = dead|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20140725000911/http://www.portlandarchitects.org/featured/portland-public-library-renovation/|archivedate = 25 July 2014}}

• {{Citation |author = Portland (Me .). Public Library |title = Catalogue of Books in the Portland Public Library: With By- Laws, Regulations, Names of Officers |date = 1890 |oclc = 27860933 |ol = 20615848M }}

• {{official website|https://www.portlandlibrary.com/}}

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Category:1867 establishments in Maine

Category:Libraries in Portland, Maine

Category:Public libraries in Maine

Category:Libraries established in 1867

Category:Buildings and structures completed in 1979

Category:Old Port of Portland, Maine