Pennsylvania Library Histories on the Web

Scroll down to find lists of web sites by county, or click on this map:

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These sites were compiled by many different institutions and people, and I have not tried to verify their accuracy. Most do not include a bibliography or citations to primary sources. Yet they come from the "horse's mouth" (usually written by current or retired library staff) and are helpful starting points.

Web sites for state-level and regional organizations are listed first, followed by local libraries listed by county. Most of the organizations on this list are public and college libraries. If you know of web pages that should be added to this list, please contact me!

State-Level Organizational Histories

• Pennsylvania Library Association

• Pennsylvania School Librarians Association – focuses on past officers

Regional/Multicounty Organizational Histories

• Central Pennsylvania Health Sciences Library Association – click on "History" in the Table of Contents on the left side of the page

• History of Libraries in Northwest Pennsylvania (had an online history, but link was broken as of 6/30/2009)

• Philadelphia Area Consortium of Special Collections Libraries

• Susquehanna Library Cooperative

Adams County (county seat: Gettysburg)

Allegheny County (county seat: Pittsburgh)

• Allegheny County Library Association (Pittsburgh)
• Andrew Bayne Memorial Library (Bellevue)
• Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall (Carnegie)
  • Architecture
  • Oral History
• Avalon Public Library
• Braddock Carnegie Library
• Bridgeville Public Library
• Carnegie Library of Homestead (Munhall) – see historical information at the bottom of the page
• Carnegie Library of McKeesport
• Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, includes branches:
  • Allegheny Regional (had an online history, but link was broken as of 6/30/2009)
  • Beechview (had an online history, but link was broken as of 6/30/2009)
  • Brookline (had an online history, but link was broken as of 6/30/2009)
  • Carrick (had an online history, but link was broken as of 6/30/2009)
  • Downtown (had an online history, but link was broken as of 6/30/2009)
  • East Liberty (had an online history, but link was broken as of 6/30/2009)
  • Hill District / Wylie Avenue (had an online history, but link was broken as of 6/30/2009)
  • Homewood (had an online history, but link was broken as of 6/30/2009)
  • Knoxville (had an online history, but link was broken as of 6/30/2009)
  • Lawrenceville (had an online history, but link was broken as of 6/30/2009)
  • Main (had an online history, but link was broken as of 6/30/2009)
  • Mount Washington (had an online history, but link was broken as of 6/30/2009)
  • Sheraden (had an online history, but link was broken as of 6/30/2009)
  • Southside (had an online history, but link was broken as of 6/30/2009)
  • Squirrel Hill (had an online history, but link was broken as of 6/30/2009)
  • West End (had an online history, but link was broken as of 6/30/2009)
  • Woods Run (had an online history, but link was broken as of 6/30/2009)
• Community Library of Castle Shannon
• Coraopolis Memorial Library
• Crafton Public Library (Pittsburgh)
• Dormont Public Library (Pittsburgh)
• F. O. R Sto-Rox Library (McKees Rocks)
• Green Tree Public Library (Pittsburgh)
• Hampton Community Library (Allison Park)
• Jefferson Hills Public Library
• Lauri Ann West Memorial Library (Pittsburgh)
• Moon Township Public Library
• Mount Lebanon Public Library
• Northland Public Library
• Oakmont Carnegie Library
• Penn Hills Library (Pittsburgh) – see historical informaiton at the bottom of the page
• Penn State Greater Allegheny, J. Clarence Kelly Library (McKeesport) – scroll down the page for a “Brief History”
• Pleasant Hills Public Library (Pittsburgh)
• Scott Township Library
• Sewickley Public Library
• South Fayette Township Library (Morgan)
• South Park Township Library
• Springdale Free Public Library – click on "Library History" on the left hand side of the page
• Upper Saint Clair Township Library
• Western Allegheny Community Library (Oakdale)
• Whitehall Public Library
• Wilkinsburg Public Library

Armstrong County (county seat: Kittanning)

• Apollo Library – web site mentions it was founded in 1908

• Ford City Public Library

• Kittanning Public Library – web site mentions it was founded in 1923

• Worthington West Franklin Community Library – web site mentions it was founded in 1985

Beaver County (county seat: Beaver)

• Beaver County Library System – web site mentions it was founded in 1971

• Geneva College, McCartney Library

Bedford County (county seat: Bedford)

• Everett Free Library
• Hyndman/Londonderry Public Library

Berks County (county seat: Reading) 

• Hamburg Public Library – see bottom of the page
• Louisa Gonser Community Library (Kutztown) (had an online history, but link was broken as of 6/30/2009)
• Reading Public Library
• Wyomissing Public Library

Blair County (county seat: Hollidaysburg)

• Altoona Area Public Library
• Blair County Library System
• Hollidaysburg Area Public Library
• Roaring Spring Community Library – click on "Library History" at the top of the page

Bradford County (county seat: Towanda)

• Mather Memorial Library (Ulster)
• Spalding Memorial Library (Athens)
• Towanda Public Library
• Wyalusing Public Library

Bucks County (county seat: Doylestown) 

• Bucks County Free Library
• Davis Library of the American Revolution (Washington Crossing) – see "Overview" in the middle of the page
• Free Library of Northampton Township (Richboro) – see middle of the page for brief information about library's history
• Margaret R. Grundy Library (Bristol)
• Newtown Library Company
• Riegelsville Public Library
• Southampton Free Library – on the left side of the page, click on "About Us." Then, click on "History" in the middle of the page.

 Butler County (county seat: Butler)

• Butler Area Public Library
• Cranberry Public Library
• Slippery Rock University, Bailey Library

Cambria County (county seat: Ebensburg) 

• Beaverdale Public Library
• Cambria County Library (Johnstown)
• Carrolltown Public Library
• Cresson Public Library
• Ebensburg Public Library
• Gallitzin Public Library
• Hastings Public Library
• Highland Community Library (Johnstown)
• Lilly-Washington Public Library (Lilly)
• Nanty Glo Public Library
• Northern Cambria Public Library
• Patton Public Library
• Portage Public Library
• South Fork Public Library

Cameron County (county seat: Emporium)

Carbon County (county seat: Jim Thorpe)

• Dimmick Memorial Library (Jim Thorpe)
• Lehighton Area Memorial Library
• Palmerton Library Association – see “Library History” near the bottom of page

Centre County (county seat: Bellefonte) 

• Centre County Federation of Public Libraries – bottom of page mentions CCFPL founded in 1990
• Centre County Library and Historical Museum
  • Branch libraries (Aaronsburg, Center Hall, Hoyt / Phillipsburg)
• Penn State University Libraries (State College)
  • Education and Behavioral Sciences Library (had an online history, but link was broken as of 6/30/2009)
  • Earth and Mineral Sciences Library
  • Life Sciences Library
  • Special Collections Department
• Schlow Centre Region Library (State College) (had an online history, but link was broken as of 6/30/2009)

Chester County (county seat: West Chester) 

 
• Avon Grove Free Library (West Grove)
• Bayard Taylor Memorial Library (Kennett Square)
• Chester County Library System – site mentions system was founded in 1965
• Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, Leslie Pinckney Hill Library
• Malvern Public Library
• Oxford Public Library – see "History" in the middle of the page
• Phoenixville Public Library – see "History" in the middle of the page

Clarion County (county seat: Clarion)

• Clarion County Library System – site mentions system was founded in 1961
• Clarion Free Library – click on “Information About Us,” then “Library History”
• Eccles-Lesher Memorial Library (Rimersburg)
• Foxburg Free Public Library – click on "History" button on the left side of the page

Clearfield County (county seat: Clearfield) 

• Bookmobile
• Clearfield County Public LIbrary
• Joseph and Elizabeth Shaw Public Library (Clearfield) (had an online history, but link was broken as of 6/30/2009)

Clinton County (county seat: Lock Haven)

• Lock Haven University, Stevenson Library

Columbia County (county seat: Bloomsburg)

• Bloomsburg Public Library – see the bottom of the page
• Bloomsburg University, Harvey A. Andruss Library
• Columbia County Traveling Library Authority
• McBride Memorial Library (Berwick)

Crawford County (county seat: Meadville)

• Benson Memorial Library (Titusville) – site mentions library was founded in 1904
• Crawford County Federated Library System (had an online history, but link was broken as of 6/30/2009)
• Meadville Public Library

Cumberland County (county seat: Carlisle)

• Cumberland County Library System
• Amelia Givin Library (Mount Holly Springs) (had an online architectural history, but link was broken as of 6/30/2009)
• Bosler Library (Carlisle)
• Fredricksen Library (Camp Hill)
• East Pennsboro Library (Enola)
• John Graham Public Library (Newville)
• New Cumberland Public Library
• Joseph T. Simpson Public Library (Mechanicsburg)
• Shippensburg Public Library
• Shippensburg University, Lehman Library

Dauphin County (county seat: Harrisburg) 

• Penn State Harrisburg Library (Middletown) (had an online history, but link was broken as of 6/30/2009)
• State Library of Pennsylvania (Harrisburg – on the left side of the page, click on “State Library of PA,” then “State Library History”)

Delaware County (county seat: Media) 

• Cabrini College, Holy Spirit Library
• Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, Leslie Pinckney Hill Library
• Darby Free Library
• Francis J. Catana Law Library
• Glenolden Library – see bottom of the page
• Haverford Township Free Library
• J. Lewis Crozer Library
• Kate Furness Free Library (Wallingford)
• Lower Merion Library System (had an online history, but link was broken as of 6/30/2009)
• Lansdowne Public Library
• Media-Upper Providence Free Library – see bottom of the page
• Middletown Free Library
• Memorial Library of Radnor Township (Wayne)
• Newtown Public Library (Newtown Square)
• Penn State Delaware County, Vairo Library
• Rachel Kohl Community Library (Glen Mills)
• Radnor Library
• Ridley Township Public Library (Folsom) – see bottom of the page
• Swarthmore Public Library – see bottom of the page
• Upper Darby Township and Sellers Memorial Free Library
• Villanova University, Falvey Memorial Library – see bottom of the page
• Yeadon Public Library

Elk County (county seat: Ridgway)  

• Johnsonburg Public Library
• Ridgway Public Library – click on "Library History" link on the left side of the page
• Saint Marys Public Library – see bottom of the page
• Wilcox Public Library – see "History" on the right side of the page

Erie County (county seat: Erie) 

• Erie County Public Library
  • Iroquois Avenue Branch Library (Erie)
• McCord Memorial Library (North East)

Fayette County (county seat: Uniontown) 

• Brownsville Free Public Library – click on "History" link on the left side of the page
• Carnegie Free Library of Connellsville
• German-Masontown Public Library (Masontown)
• Port Marion Public Library (had an online history, but link was broken as of 6/30/2009)
• Uniontown Public Library
   

Forest County (county seat: Tionesta)  

Franklin County (county seat: Chambersburg)

• Alexander Hamilton Free Library (Waynesboro)
• Blue Ridge Summit Free Library
• Bookmobile (had an online history, but link was broken as of 6/30/2009)
• Coyle Free Library (Chambersburg)
• Fort Loudon Library
• Franklin County Bookmobile – shows picture of bookmobile in the 1980s
• Grove Family / Ragged Edge Library (Chambersburg) – see documents in the middle of the page
• Lilian Besore Memorial Library (Greencastle)
• St. Thomas Library (St. Thomas)

Fulton County (county seat: McConnellsburg)

Greene County (county seat: Waynesburg) 

 
• Eva K. Bowlby Public Library (Waynesburg)
• Flenniken Public Library (Carmichaels)

Huntingdon County (county seat: Huntingdon)

• Huntingdon County Library

Indiana County (county seat: Indiana)   

• Burrell Township Library – web site mentions it was founded in 1977

Jefferson County (county seat: Brookville)

•  Punxsatawney Memorial Library
• Rebecca M. Arthurs Memorial Library (Brookville)
• Summerville Public Library

Juniata County (county seat: Mifflintown)

Lackawanna County (county seat: Scranton) 

• Abington Community Library (Clarks Summit)
• Albright Memorial Library (Scranton)
  •    Green Ridge Branch
• Carbondale Public Library
• Dalton Community Library
• North Pocano Public Library
• Penn State Worthington Scranton Library – site mentions library was founded in 1970

Lancaster County (county seat: Lancaster) 

• Adamstown Area Library  – see history at the bottom of the page
• Columbia Public Library
• Eastern Lancaster County Library
• Elizabethtown Public Library
• Franklin and Marshall College, Shadek-Fackenthal Library
• Lancaster Public Library
• Lititz Public Library
• Pequea Valley Public Library (Intercourse) – web site mentions library opened in 1975
• Shuts Environmental Library, Lancaster County Department of Parks
• Strasburg-Heisler Library

Lawrence County (county seat: New Castle) 

• F. D. Campbell Memorial Library (Bessemer)
• Mercer Area Library (had an online history, but link was broken as of 6/30/2009)
• New Castle Public Library (had an online history, but link was broken as of 6/30/2009)
• Slippery Rock University Library

Lebanon County (county seat: Lebanon) 

• Annville Free Library – mentions library was founded in 1939
• Lebanon Community Library
• Matthews Public Library (Fredericksburg)
• Palmyra Public Library
• Richland Community Library – see history at the bottom of the page

Lehigh County (county seat: Allentown) 

• Bethlehem Area Public Library
• Emmaus Public Library – see history at the bottom of the page
• Parkland Community Library (Allentown)
• Whitehall Township Public Library (had an online history, but link was broken as of 6/30/2009)

Luzerne County (county seat: Wilkes-Barre) 

• Hoyt Library (Kingston)
• Luzerne County Community College Library (had an online history, but link was broken as of 6/30/2009)
• Marion Sunderland Kirby Library (Mountaintop)
• Osterhout Free Library (Wilkes-Barre)
• West Pittston Library (had an online history, but link was broken as of 6/30/2009)
• Wyoming Free Library – site mentions that library was founded in 1927

Lycoming County (county seat: Williamsport) 

• James V. Brown Library (Williamsport) – see history at the middle of the page
• Montgomery Area Public Library
• Muncy Public Library

McKean County (county seat: Smethport) 

Mercer County (county seat: Mercer)

• Penn State Shenango, Lartz Memorial Library (Sharon)
• Shenango Valley Community Library (Sharon) – see history at the bottom of the page

Mifflin County (county seat: Lewistown) 

• Mifflin County Library (Lewistown)

Monroe County (county seat: Stroudsburg) 

• Barrett Friendly Library (Mountainhome)

Montgomery County (county seat: Norristown) 

• Ardmore Free Library
• Bala Cynwyd Library
• Belmont Hills Library
• Conshohocken Free Library
• Elkins Park Public Library
• Free Library of Springfield Township – page mentions library was founded in 1966
• Gladwyne Library
• Haverford College Libraries
• Huntington Valley Library
• Jenkintown Library
• Lansdale Public Library
• Ludington Library
• Montgomery County – Norristown Public Library
• Penn Wynne Library (Wynnewood)
• Perkiomen Valley Library (Schwenksville) – scroll down the page for library history
• Pottstown Public Library
• Rosemont College, Gertrude Kistler Library
• Union Library (Hatboro)
• Upper Moreland Free Public Library (Willow Grove) – click on "About Us" on the left side of the page, then click on "Library History" at the top right of the page
• Upper Perkiomen Valley Library (Red Hill) – click on "About Us" on the right side of the page  
• William Jeanes Memorial Library (Whitemarsh Township)

Montour County (county seat: Danville) 

Northampton County (county seat: Easton) 

• Bangor Public Library
• Bethlehem Area Public Library
• Easton Area Public Library
• Hellertown Area Public Library
• Mary Meuser Memorial Library (Wilson) – click on “About Your Library” at the top right of the page
• Memorial Library of Nazareth and Vicinity – click on "Library History" link in the middle of the page

Northumberland County (county seat: Sunbury) 

• Milton Public Library (had an online history, but link was broken as of 6/30/2009)
• Montgomery House Library (McEwensville)
• Priestly-Forsyth Memorial Library (Northumberland)
• Ralpho Township Public Library (Elysburg) – scroll down to the bottom of the page
• Shamokin and Coal Township Public Library

Perry County (county seat: New Bloomfield)  

• Marysville-Rye Library
• Newport Public Library

Philadelphia County  

• Athenaeum of Philadelphia
• College of Physicians of Philadelphia, Historical Library and Wood Institute
• Drexel University Libraries (had an online history, but link was broken as of 6/30/2009)
• Free Library of Philadelphia
• Herbert D. Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies Library
• Library Company of Philadelphia
• Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia, Krauth Memorial Library
• Thomas Jefferson University, Scott Memorial Library
• University of the Sciences Philadelphia

Pike County (county seat: Milford) 

• Pike County Public Library (Milford)

Potter County (county seat: Coudersport) 

• Genesee Area Library
• Oswayo Valley Memorial Library (Shinglehouse)
• Willis I. Lewis Memorial Library (Ulysses)

Schuylkill County (county seat: Pottsville) 

• Frackville Free Public Library
• Minersville Public Library
• Penn State Schuykill, Ciletti Library
• Pottsville Free Public Library
• Ringtown Area Public Library – click on “history” on the left hand side of the page
• Schuylkill Haven Free Public Library
• Tamaqua Public Library

Snyder County (county seat: Middleburg) 

• Snyder County Libraries

Somerset County (county seat: Somerset) 

• Mary S. Biesecker Library (Somerset) – see “Library Profile” at center of page
• Meyersdale Public Library

Sullivan County (county seat: Laporte) 

Susquehanna County (county seat: Montrose)

• Hallstead-Great Bend Branch – see the bottom of the page

Tioga County (county seat: Wellsboro) 

• Elkland Area Community Library
• Green Free Library (Wellsboro)
• Mansfield Free Public Library
• Westfield Public Library

Union County (county seat: Lewisburg) 

• Herr Memorial Library (Mifflinburg)

Venango County (county seat: Franklin)

• Cooperstown Public Library (had an online history, but link was broken as of 6/30/2009)
• Franklin Public Library – see the middle of the page
• Oil City Public Library

Warren County (county seat: Warren) 

• Sugar Grove Free Library
• Warren Library Association
• Youngsville Public Library

Washington County (county seat: Washington) 

• Burgettstown Community Library
• California Area Public Library
• Chartiers-Houston Community Library
• Citizens Library (Washington)
• Donora Public Library
• Peters Township Public Library

Wayne County (county seat: Honesdale) 

• Hawley Library

Westmoreland County (county seat: Greensburg)

• Adams Memorial Library (Latrobe)
• Ligonier Valley Library
• Manor Public Library (had an online history, but link was broken as of 6/30/2009)
• Monessen Public Library
• Murraysville Community Library – scroll down to “History”
• Penn Area Library (Harrison City)
• People's Library (New Kensington)
• St. Vincent's College, Latimer Family Library
• Trafford Community Public Library – see bottom of the page
• Tunkhannock Public Library
• Vandergrift Public Library
• Westmoreland Library Network

Wyoming County (county seat: Tunkhannock) 

• Tunkhannock Public Library

York County (county seat: York) 

• Guthrie Memorial Library (Hanover) – click on “History” link at top of page
• Kaltreider-Benfer Library (Red Lion)

Copyright 2009, Bernadette A. Lear. Please contact me for permission to use this page.