LIBRARY HISTORY

In Reading, MA, Reading IS Revolutionary. Did you know that Reading has a 235 year library tradition...

1791 —The private Federal Library occupied the front room of the parish house of Rev. Peter Sanborn of the Third Parish Church at Woburn and Lowell Streets (site of present day Town Hall) until it disbanded in 1831.

1842--The Franklin Library opened in 1842 and closed in 1869. 103 members paid an admission fee of $2 and annual dues of 50 cents. (No location is known).

1852— A Reading Institute Library and an Agricultural Library offered 166 volumes about animal husbandry, home mechanics, and agriculture.

1867-- The Reading School Committee recommends establishing a public library in one room of the high school, on the Common. When this opened in 1868, the Agricultural Library and the Franklin Library transferred their books to the new Reading Public Library.

1905— Reading’s library outgrew its room at the high school and relocated to the lower floor at Odd Fellows Hall on Woburn St. Hours were expanded and children over 10 years were welcome.

1911 — Fire almost destroyed Odd Fellows Hall sending the library to the YMCA building on Main St. (now VFW Hall).The library’s collection totaled 11,959.

1915-1918 —Philanthropist/industrialist Andrew Carnegie offered Reading $15,000 to establish a permanent library and Town Meeting appropriated another $5,000. Reading bought property at the corner of Lowell and Woburn Streets for a library and municipal building. This new library, designed by Adden and Parker (Boston architects who lived in Reading) opened on July 3, 1918. Within a decade, the space was too small. A basement conference room was converted to the Children’s Room. The library now housed 29,195 volumes.

1973 —The Friends of the Reading Public Library (“Friends”) was founded. When the new library at the former Highland Street School was ready to open, the Friends rallied Readingites in a human chain to transfer boxes of books from Town Hall into cars, vans and trucks to their new home. The Friends have helped raise tens of thousands of dollars enabling the Library to add new services and programs and expand favorites for over 50 years.

1984—Reading Public Library officially opened at the former Highland Street School.

An early library at the SE corner of Main & Pleasant Streets around 1884.
Source: Library collection

Friends present 2 checks to library director Deirdre Hanley. Source: Don Young

Today, our library is a cherished reading hub and community gathering place, The two-story Renaissance Revival building, designed by architect Horace G. Wadlin in1896–97 as a public school is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Since 1984, the library has experienced several additions and renovations to keep pace with Reading’s love of books.

Source: At Wood End: Reading Massachusetts 1644-1994 published by Reading 350th Book Committee; pages 73-77