The Providence Athenæum

It’s getting hot in here! The library will be closed Wednesday, July 17th as temperatures are already hitting over 90° in parts of the building. We’ll reopen as usual at 10am on Thursday. Online reading group registration will open at 8am as planned.

Our upcoming slate of reading groups has been announced! Registration will open next Wednesday, July 17th, at 8am. Visit provath.org/reading-groups for full group descriptions and schedules.

📚 Reading groups are reserved for Athenæum members, so please consider joining the library if you’d like to participate! Visit provath.org/benefits for details.

📚 Members can access the registration form by clicking the green “REGISTER” button at the bottom of each group’s webpage.

📚 Please note that the groups are exceedingly popular, and your first choice may fill up quickly. Mark your calendars!

📚 Members are able to register for one group each year.

📚 We are so grateful for our dedicated leaders who make these groups possible!

📙☀️It’s hot hot hot!☀️📙

As summer temperatures soar, it’s possible that the library’s interior will become too warm for normal functions. If we do need to adjust our hours or services due to the heat, we’ll update our website, social media, and voicemail. Please give us a call or check one of these resources before you visit on a hot day. Thanks!

📕📖📘 The library will be closed tomorrow for the holiday! 📕📖📘

The library will be closed tomorrow 6/19 for Juneteenth, but we’ll be back on Thursday!

Summer hours start now! So if you want to stop by to check out The Baked Bean Supper Murders (a recent delightful find in the card catalog) or other books, visit us Tues - Sat, 10-6. The library will reopen on Sundays after Labor Day.

This month’s staff picks display (curated by Ivana!) is incredible. Stop by to learn how to do pretty much anything, from sharpening pencils to talking to your cat. These are important life skills, people!!!

The library is looking especially lovely today! ☀️

Forever in love with squeaky floorboards, chipped paint, and the books books books 🩵

A favorite corner 📚

Stockist Highlight :: Providence Athenaeum
I will be highlighting each of the amazing shops and places that carry my work throughout the year and what better way to kick that off than with the oldest establishment of them all. Founded in 1836, and predating the creation of public libraries, the Providence Athenaeum is an independent, member-supported library on historic Benefit Street. All are welcomed to join as members and browse and borrow from their collection of books and if you visit their gift shop, you can purchase a teeny bowl featuring an image of the front facade of building or the beautiful fountain that lives at the entrance.

Happy Valentine’s Day from all of us and our books! 📕💌📕💌

Get your milk and bread, Rhode Islanders! Looks like we’re in for a bunch of snow. The library will be closed tomorrow 2/13 due to the winter weather. A reminder we’re also closing at 2pm this Saturday 2/17 for a private event.

🚨ICYMI🚨 Join us starting next Friday to welcome an array of interesting people discussing interesting things! Tickets are selling fast (looking at you, pub quizzes), so don’t delay on reserving your spot. Full information and registration details can be found at provath.org/calendar.

We don’t mind gray days around here because they make the library feel extra cozy.

The Athenæum will be closed Sunday, January 7th. Have a safe and cozy snow day, everyone!

New year, old library! The Athenæum is back to regular hours: Tues-Sat, 10-6, Sun: 11-5.

Closing at 1pm today to celebrate the holidays with our staff at the incomparable ! (If you haven’t seen their Little Pictures Show yet, you’re missing out.)

From today’s enews: check out our little shop for all kinds of bookish goods! What else would you like to see in this space? FYI we can’t ship stuff (or sell umbrellas, long story), so you’ll need to come browse in person. We’d love to see you 😊

With the holidays around the corner, we have some slight hour shifts to make you aware of. This Saturday 12/9, non-members will be charged $5 admission after 1:30pm so you can join us for the Christmas Carol marathon! We’re closing at 1pm on Friday 12/15 for our staff holiday party, and the library will be fully closed Sunday 12/24-Monday 1/1.

A reminder that the library is closing at 2pm this Saturday 12/2 for a private event ❤️

📷: Taylor Photography

The first glimmers of snow were outside *and* inside today ❄️

Gobble gobble! The library will be closed on Thurs 11/23 and Fri 11/24 for Thanksgiving 🦃

[Male & female turkey from Alexander Wilson’s American Ornithology, 1832]

The Athenæum will be closed this Saturday, 11/11 for Veterans Day.

Happy Halloween! 📙📓📙📓

Every October, light pours into the Isham wing in the most beautiful and coziest sun puddles. We love all seasons at the Ath, but fall might be our favorite.

The library will close at 2pm this Saturday, October 21 and next Saturday, October 28 for private celebrations ✨

📸: Kelly Prizel Photography

The mezzanine and its parasols are looking particularly nice today ☂️