Salem Athenaeum facts for kids
The Salem Athenaeum is a very old library in the United States. It was started in 1810. This special library is located at 337 Essex Street in Salem, Massachusetts. It's part of a historic area called the McIntire Historic District.
In 2023, the Athenaeum finished a big project to fix up its old building. Now, they are working to collect money to make the building easier for everyone to use, following modern library rules.
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Discovering the Athenaeum's Past
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The Salem Athenaeum began in 1810 when two older libraries joined together. These were the Salem Social Library, started in 1760, and the Salem Philosophical Library, started in 1781. The first leader of the Athenaeum was Edward Augustus Holyoke.
When the Athenaeum first opened, it had about 2,700 books. These books came from the United States, England, and other parts of Europe. Over the years, people who were members also gave books from their own collections.
The Athenaeum got its first permanent building in the 1850s. This was possible because of a large gift from Caroline Plummer. In 1905, the Athenaeum sold that building. They used the money to build their current home, which opened in 1907.
Exploring the Collections
Members of the Salem Athenaeum can get books in a few ways. They can pick them up at the library, get them delivered to their car (curbside), or even have books sent to their home. The library uses a website called LibraryThing to show all its books online. The Kirwan Collection is the oldest group of books they have, and it's always on display.
For a long time in the 1800s, librarians only worked one day a week. They mostly did simple tasks, and the library's leaders decided which books to buy. From 1885 to 1947, Miss Alice Homans Osborne was the librarian. She organized all the books using the Dewey Decimal system between 1895 and 1898. The first full-time, professional librarian was Cynthia Wiggins. She worked at the Athenaeum from 1960 to 1994.
Today, the Salem Athenaeum has more than 50,000 books. They cover many different subjects.
Programs and Fun Events
The Salem Athenaeum offers many activities for its members. They have book clubs where people discuss books together. They also have "Summer Salons," which are special gatherings. The annual Adams Lecture focuses on American history. The Athenaeum also hosts art shows and groups for writers.
The Salem Literary Festival is a yearly event about books and writing. It started in 2008. Since 2017, the Salem Athenaeum has been the main organizer of this festival.
Well-Known Members
Some famous people have been members of the Salem Athenaeum:
See also
- John Tucker Daland House
- Salem Philosophical Library (1781–1810), one of the libraries that joined to form the Athenaeum
- Salem Social Library (1760–1810), the other library that joined to form the Athenaeum
