Cambridge Public Library | |
 1888 building | |
   | |
| Location | Cambridge, Massachusetts |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 42°22′26.8″N71°06′38.9″W / 42.374111°N 71.110806°W /42.374111; -71.110806 |
| Built | 1888 |
| Architect | Van Brunt & Howe (1888) William Rawn Associates (2009) |
| Architectural style | Romanesque |
| MPS | Cambridge MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 82001931[1] |
| Added to NRHP | April 13, 1982 |
TheCambridge Public Library (CPL) inCambridge, Massachusetts consists of a unified city-wide system maintaining: a main branch, of notable aesthetic architectural value,[2][3][4] plus a further six localized branches sited throughout the city.[5] Having evolved from the Cambridge Athenaeum, the main library branch was built at its present site in 1888. The main library most recently underwent renovation, and a modern building addition significantly expanded the overall branch in 2009. Thus, it greatly increased the branch's area, more than tripling its square footage.[6][7]
At current the library system holds more than 314,607 items[8] where in addition to traditional library services, the Cambridge Public Library provides services such as e-books, audiobooks, tax preparation, large print, films, music, graphic novels, online resources, newspapers, magazines and educational programs among others.[9] The library provides city-wide delivery services to homebound residents of Cambridge.[10][11][12][13]
The Cambridge Public Library developed out of the Cambridge Athenaeum, which was founded in 1849 as "a lyceum, public library, and reading room with a building on the corner of Massachusetts Avenue and Pleasant Street where Cambridge residents could borrow books at the cost of one dollar per year.[14]
The City of Cambridge acquired the Cambridge Athenaeum in 1858 and renamed it theDana Library for use as both acity hall and a public library. By 1866, the Library moved to the corner of Massachusetts Avenue and Temple Street. In 1874, the library became free to the public and was renamed the Cambridge Public. Through the philanthropic endeavors ofFrederick H. Rindge (and theRindge Family), the main branch of the Cambridge Public Library was subsequently moved to theMid-Cambridge neighborhood where it was built in 1888 at 449 Broadway.
In 2020 the CPL sought to partially fund the establishment of the Community based - Cambridge Public Library STEAM Academy.[15][16]
The main library of the Cambridge Public Library consists of two buildings at 449 Broadway. The Van Brunt & Howe portion is a historiclibrary building. It was built in 1888 with land and full construction funding donated byFrederick H. Rindge, a Cambridge native andphilanthropist. ItsRichardsonian Romanesque design was byVan Brunt & Howe.[17] In the late 1960s, a more contemporary addition of plain brick exterior was created at the rear of the main library.[18][19] The building was added to theNational Register of Historic Places in 1982.
The newly expanded building consists of a $90 million expansion and renovation of the earlier library, led by the Boston architectural firms William Rawn Associates and Ann Beha Architects (now known as Annum Architects[20]).[21] The expanded library opened on November 8, 2009.[22] The new addition more than tripled the square footage of the building and is the first building in the US to make use of European Double-SkinCurtainwall technology.[23][24][25]Architectural drawings and construction photos were publicized through the process to the public.[26] During most of the construction, the library collection had been relocated to the former Longfellow School building.[27]
In 2010 the main library received aLEED Silver certification from theU.S. Green Building Council.[28]
The surrounding park and lawn grounds of theJoan Lorentz Park found at the main building is a popular meeting place for various interest groups, including pickup soccer,slacklining, book and religious study groups, casual picnics, and the traditional practice of various martial and therapeutic arts.[29][30] The main library and surrounding park sit at a top of a 70-car underground parking garage.[31]
Prior to the renovation of the main library, the library was home to a scale model of theplanetSaturn in the BostonMuseum of Science's community-wideSolar System model.[32] Saturn was located just outside the portion of the building that housed the old stacks, roughly where the computer workstation sign-in table is currently located. The Saturn model was packed up and shipped back to the Museum of Science and was not positioned at the reopened renovated library.[33] Other locations in Cambridge that still have models in the historicnine planet series are the Royal Sonesta Hotel (home ofEarth) and theCambridgeSide mall (home ofMars).
There are a further six smaller neighborhood branch libraries around the City of Cambridge:
| Founded | Image | Location | Neighborhood served | Branch name | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| * | 45 Pearl St. | Cambridgeport (02139) | Central Square Branch | ||
| 1896 | * | 826 Cambridge St. | East Cambridge (02141) | Valente Branch | Built in 1896, rebuilt in 1961 as part of the Harrington Education Complex on the same site. Last rebuilt in 2019[34] as part of the King Open Education Complex.[35] |
| * | * | 48 Sixth St. | East Cambridge (02141) | O'Connell Branch | |
| 1902 | * | 70 Rindge Ave. | North Cambridge (02140) | O'Neill Branch | |
| 1936 |  | 64 Aberdeen Ave. | West Cambridge (02138) | Collins Branch | Has also been referred to as the "Mount Auburn" branch. |
| 1989 |  | 245 Concord Ave. | West Cambridge (02138) | Boudreau Branch | Has also been referred to as the "Observatory Hill" branch. |
The library system is governed by aboard of trustees consisting of six volunteer trustees[36] acting as community representative members appointed by the Cambridge City Manager. Meetings are held monthly on the first Tuesday.[36][37] Meetings of the board are open to the public.[38] The day-to-day oversight is by the Director of Libraries, who is supported further by managers at the separate neighborhood branches.
The system is funded primarily through property taxes as a department of the City of Cambridge, and receives additional support from the Cambridge Public Library Foundation and Friends of the Cambridge Public Library.[39]
In fiscal year 2014, the city of Cambridge spent 1.63% ($7,064,381) of its city budget towards the library, amounting $66 per person.[40]
As of 2023 card holders are offered extensive online resources.[41]
![[icon]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aWiki_letter_w_cropped.svg) | This sectionneeds expansion. You can help byadding to it.(September 2023) |
| Award | Bestowing Organization |
| 2015 National Honor Award for Architecture | American Institute of Architects (AIA) |
| 2012 CNU Charter Award | Congress for the New Urbanism |
| 2010 Harleston Parker Medal (photos of the award ceremony) | Boston Society of Architects |
| 2010 Honor Award for Design Excellence | Boston Society of Architects |
| 2010 Award for Interior Design/Interior Architecture | Boston Society of Architects |
| 2010 Honor Award for Design Excellence | AIA New England |
| 2010 Annual Design Review Award | ARCHITECT Magazine |
| 2010 Preservation Award | Massachusetts Historical Commission |
| 2010 Integrated Design/Integrated Development Award (IDID) for Excellence in Sustainable Design | New Hampshire AIA |
| 2010 AGC Aon Build America Award | Associated General Contractors of America |
| One of the 10 Best Boston-Area Buildings of the Decade (2000-2010) | Boston Herald |
| 2010 Library Design Showcase | American Libraries Magazine |
| 2010 Citation for Innovative Envelope System | Sustainable Buildings Industry Council (SBIC) – Beyond Green High-Performance Building Awards |
Academic and research library memberships for Cambridge Public Library include:
This project was chosen as a 2015 recipient of the Institute Honor Awards for Architecture.
The Boston Society of Architects/AIA announced the winner of the 2010 Harleston Parker Medal as the Cambridge Public Library
New England Architecture Awards
The Cambridge Public Library's diverse collection informs, educates, stimulates, entertains, and relaxes the spirit and reflects the unique character of our community. Items are available in many formats, including e-books, audiobooks, large print, films, music, graphic novels, online resources, newspapers, and magazines.
The Cambridge STEAM Initiative is a joint venture between the City of Cambridge Department of Human Service Programs, Cambridge Public School Department, and the Cambridge Public Library. STEAM is an integrated approach to learning that incorporates STEAM Habits of Mind using any combination of STEAM areas of study - Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math - as access points for inquiry, dialogue, and critical thinking.
LEED BD+C: New Constructionv2 - LEED 2.2 -- Certification type: LEED-NC 2.2; Level: Silver; Points: 35; Certification date: December 13, 2010
The Saturn model was brought back to the Museum of Science when the Cambridge library closed, and is currently in storage. Since the Saturn and Neptune models are not available, we revised the Community Solar System passport to give credit for those planets.
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