Lawrence Public Library

The Association was the sole literary society in Lawrence for many years. The "Lawrence Athenaeum" instituted a course of lectures for two seasons, and the "Lawrence Lyceum" held a series of lectures for approximately the same number of seasons. Both of these societies merged into the Franklin Library Association. A series of twelve lectures a year... was then sustained for several years. Partially because there was a registration fee for all members, most of the patrons of the Association were upper class citizens and those persons employed in the "professional" sector. Working class people were not very active either in attending the Association's lectures or in making use of its book collection. In the early years of the Association, the Honorable Daniel A. White of Salem, Massachusetts set up the White Fund, the money to be used for the purchase of books and other library materials. When the library and funds of the Association were turned over to the City in 1872, the White Fund was instrumental in the establishment of the Free Public Library. At that point, Trustees of the White Fund proposed to contribute $1,000 annually to the Library for the purchase of books and other needed materials. The Free Public Library first opened its doors on December 2, 1872 in rented quarters in the Saunders Block at 240 Essex Street. The first floor of the building was used for reading and general delivery, and the second floor contained a 250-person capacity auditorium that was used for lectures, meetings and forums. The first Librarian was William A. Fletcher, who was then followed by Frederic K. Hedge, who held that position for 27 years. With the establishment of the Free Public Library, the collection and materials became available to all residents of Lawrence. Registration grew quickly as more and more working class people made use of the library's ever expanding materials. Three years after the library first opened, due to the lack of accommodations for the increased collection and patronage, the Library was removed ...Read More