News
12th Annual Philbrick Poetry Chapbook now available!
The Waiting Room by Kathleen M. Kelley is now available. Published by the Athenaeum as part of the Philbrick Poetry Project, the chapbook was selected for this year's honor by Marge Piercy.
To purchase a copy click here.
Interested in Proust? Join us for our monthly Proust Reading Group. Click here for additional information.
New Arrivals
Fiction: Stop by our New Fiction Shelf for Angelology, an adventurous mixture of fantasy and treasure hunting. For more new fiction, click here.
Mystery: Set in the dangerous world of illusionists in early-twentieth-century New York City, the Last Illusion is new in Mystery this month. To see more new mystery books, click here.
Non-Fiction: Shakespeare scholar James Shapiro examines the authorship of the Bard's plays in Contested Will. Be sure to click here to see more featured non-fiction.
DVDs: Oscar Best Picture winner The Hurt Locker has arrived. For more DVD news, click here.
Staff Picks: To see the latest selections by our staff, click here.
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A Library, Cultural Center, and More...
The Providence Athenaeum is an independent membership library that opened on Benefit Street in 1838; its progenitor was an earlier library, The Providence Library Company, founded in 1753.
The Athenaeum's mission is to provide books and other materials to all, of any age, who love reading, appreciate literature, and enjoy cultural discovery. The Athenaeum's collections and historic building are maintained in the spirit of its founders in order to enrich the lives of all who enter its granite walls.
The stately stone of the granite exterior opens to the warmth of wood as you enter the Athenaeum. Starting at your feet and towering overhead, books envelop you in winding canyons, deep ravines, and hidden culs-de-sac of bound paper, centuries of stories, voices, and ideas waiting to be rediscovered...
More than a place for books, the Athenaeum itself has the transcendental power of the best literature. The library holds the intrigue of a great mystery, the history of a non-fictional epic, and the delicious escape of a fiction title. We welcome visitors and members to come in and enjoy the Athenaeum's ongoing story for themselves!
- The building is open to the public and all are welcome to peruse our collections while inside. Many programs are also open to the public.
- Those who wish to check out materials are encouraged to become members. Borrowing privileges are only one of the many benefits of membership.
- The culture the library has on display is more than matched by the culture of community it fosters within its walls. Whether salons, readings or pub-style quizzes, our extensive programming brings members of the community together!