User:Rcmatppl
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This is my draft for a page about Portsmouth Public Library in NH.--Rcmatppl (talk) 18:19, 21 May 2008 (UTC)
| Portsmouth Public Library | |
| [[Image:]] | |
| Location | Portsmouth, NH |
|---|---|
| Established | 1896 |
| Annual circulation | ~375,000 |
| Population served | ~20,600 |
| Members | ~14,000 |
| Director | Mary Ann List |
| Website | http://www.cityofportsmouth.com/library |
Contents |
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[edit] MISSION
Portsmouth Public Library is a gateway to reading, information, culture, community activities, and self-directed learning. It serves those who want to read, to learn, or to connect with our community and our cultural heritage.
The library's mission is one of sharing and it strengthens the community by fulfilling these roles:
- Popular Materials Library: Provides a wide range of popular materials in various formats for the personal use of people of all ages.
- Reference Library: Responds to the information needs of the community by answering questions, helping people find materials in the Library, and providing connections to informational resources beyond the Library.
- Youth's Door to Learning: Fosters, in children, a love of reading and learning by offering stimulating materials, programs, and services for them, their parents and caregivers.
- Community Activities Center: Provides places for people to meet, interact, organize, study, and enjoy programs of public interest.
- Community Information Center: Makes available past and present community information for those who want to learn about local government, personal and community heritage, and services provided by community agencies and organizations.
The Library accomplishes its mission of sharing by:
- Continually assessing the reading and informational needs of the community.
- Selecting, arranging, lending, or otherwise making available resources and materials of general interest or recurring utility;
- Maintaining a friendly and knowledgeable staff trained to offer professional service; and
- Collaborating and cooperating with other city departments and with educational, cultural, and social organizations in the community.
[edit] Facilities
The Library is open 6 days a week, from 9-9 Monday through Thursday, 9-5:30 Friday, and 9-5 on Saturday.
Community Space
- Three meeting rooms and three small group study/conference rooms
- Cafe and courtyard
- Informal reading nooks and comfortable seating areas
- All areas are handicapped-accessible
Technology
- 46 computer workstations throught the building offering a variety of applications, library catalogs and databases, and internet access
- Wireless access in all areas of the building, including the courtyard and porch
- State-of-the-art printing and copying
[edit] Services
[edit] Special Collections
The Special Collections room at Portsmouth Public Library offers the researcher information on local history topics and genealogy.
While our collection development efforts focus on acquiring materials relating to the city of Portsmouth, we also acquire information about other towns in Rockingham County, as well as town histories for Strafford County, NH and York County in Maine.
Our collection consists of books, articles, city documents (tax records, annual reports, etc.), city directories, vital records (birth, marriage and death indexes), maps, art work, photographs, historical newspapers and ephemera.
In addition, we have a number of unique collections, including the following:
Henry Clay Barnabee Collection
This collection of 12 boxes consisting of scrapbooks, photographs, albums, books, souvenir albums, souvenir books, opera music scores, watercolors, etc., belonged to the Portsmouth-born actor and singer Henry Clay Barnabee (1833-1917).
World War II Records
This collection of 20 files was compiled by the Portsmouth War Records Committee during the World War II years. It includes reports (business, club and organizations), photographs, scrapbooks, newspaper clippings, posters and pamphlets.
Art Collections
These include a collection of watercolors by Sarah Haven Foster (1827-1900), a collection of drawings by Helen Pearson (1871-1949), several works by Susan Ricker Knox (1875?-1959) and several paintings by Russell Cheney (1881-1945), among other artists whose works are owned by the library.
