kids encyclopedia robot

Portland Library Society facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

The Portland Library Society was a special kind of library in Portland, Maine, that existed from 1763 to 1826. It was also known as the Portland Library. Unlike public libraries today, this was a subscription library. This meant people had to pay a fee to become a member and borrow books.

The library first started in 1763. It was brought back to life in 1786 and then again in 1806. Important people like Samuel Freeman (around 1785-1807) and Oliver Bray (around 1812-1817) helped manage the library. Members had to pay a yearly fee. For example, in 1784, it cost two dollars a year, but by 1801, it was fifteen dollars.

SamuelFreeman PortlandMaine 1743 1831
Portrait of Samuel Freeman, an early librarian

History of the Portland Library

Early Days in Falmouth (1763-1786)

The library first opened in 1763 in a town called Falmouth. This town later became Portland. A historian named William Willis shared some interesting facts about its beginning.

In 1763, several gentlemen wanted to help people learn more and get information. So, they decided to start a library. By 1765, the first members joined. These members included Enoch Freeman, Benjamin Titcomb, and many others.

When the library first opened in 1766, it had only 93 books. None of these books were printed in America. People believe this was the first library of its kind in Maine. Not many new books were added before the American Revolution began.

Some of the books available between 1766 and 1775 included:

  • History of Peter Czar of Muscovy
  • Lardner's history of New Testament writers
  • Leland's view of Deistical writers
  • London Magazine no.71-79
  • Robert Millar's Propagation of Christianity
  • Physico Theology
  • Prospects of Mankind &c.
  • Rapin's History of England v.85-91
  • Ray's Wisdom of God
  • The Reflector
  • Ancient and Modern Universal History no.1-62

During the American Revolution, British soldiers attacked Falmouth. They destroyed the town and its "publick library." Many books were lost or scattered. The library stopped working completely during the war. In 1780, people tried to gather the remaining books and use them again. The library was finally "revived" in 1786. The local newspaper announced that the Falmouth Library Society was "re-established" with new rules. New members also joined.

Becoming the Portland Library (1787-1826)

In 1786, the town of Falmouth changed its name to Portland. Because of this, the Falmouth Library Society became the "Portland Library Society." The library was "re-established" again in 1806.

Around 1826, a new library group called the Portland Athenaeum bought the Portland Library. They paid $1,640 for it. By 1828, the Athenaeum reported that they received between 1,600 and 1,700 books from the Portland Library. They noted that the Portland Library had many important books. It also had popular books that people enjoyed reading at the time.

kids search engine
Portland Library Society Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.