Portsmouth Public Library

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Portsmouth Public Library is public library located near downtown Portsmouth in Portsmouth, Ohio and has served the city since 1879 and has branch locations in Lucasville, New Boston, Northwest, South Webster, and Wheelersburg.

[edit] Background

Portsmouth's traces of a public library began in 1831 when small library opened at the corner of Market and Front Street. However, the library closed a short time later. It wasn't until 1879 when the Portsmouth City Schools Board of Education donated a building at the corner of Fifth and Court to provide these services. The biggest donation came in 1902 when Andrew Carnegie donated $50,000 to construct a new library with the solicitation of Henry Lorberg. The new library opened in 1906 on Gallia Street where it still stands today. The library received renovations and extensions in 1971 and 1995. Today the library offers microfilm of the Portsmouth Daily Times and other forgotten papers of the city, a local history department, and local Bookmobile services which began in 1938. The library recently celebrated its 100th anniversary with a renactment of the opening with current workers in early-1900s attire.