Samuel Pollard Memorial Library or Pollard Memorial Library is the main branch of the

public library A public library is a library that is accessible by the general public and is usually funded from public sources, such as taxes. It is operated by librarians and library paraprofessionals, who are also Civil service, civil servants. There are ...

Lowell, Massachusetts Lowell () is a city in Massachusetts, in the United States. Alongside Cambridge, It is one of two traditional seats of Middlesex County. With an estimated population of 115,554 in 2020, it was the fifth most populous city in Massachusetts as of ...

History

The Lowell Public Library was established on May 20, 1844 with between 3,000-3,500 volumes. It was originally named the City School Library. The state of Massachusetts provided $1,200 for the budget and the city provided $2,300. It was set up in the first floor of the Old City Hall, 226 Merrimack St and opened for the first time on February 11, 1845. The library was renamed the City Library of Lowell in 1860. In 1872, the expanding collection was relocated down the street to the Hosford Building at 134 Merrimack St. In 1890–1891. The City of Lowell hired local Architect

Frederick W. Stickney Frederick Warren Stickney (June 17, 1853''Massachusetts, Birth Records, 1840-1915'' – January 18, 1918) was an American architect. Early years Stickney was born in Lowell, Massachusetts, to Daniel and Betsey Stickney. He attended MIT and later w ...

to design the new Lowell City Library, also known as Memorial Hall, in honor of the city's men who lost their lives in the American Civil War. The building was in the

Richardsonian Romanesque Richardsonian Romanesque is a style of Romanesque Revival architecture named after the American architect Henry Hobson Richardson (1838–1886). The revival style incorporates 11th and 12th century southern French, Spanish, and Italian Romanesque ...

style. The cornerstones of the building, along with those of City Hall next door, were laid on October 11, 1890 and it took three years to complete the building. The grand opening of Memorial Hall was on June 3, 1893. In 1915 the second floor of the building was destroyed by a fire. The reported loss for the library was $67,627.20 worth of material as well as artifacts and relics. The building was rebuilt with Stickney and Harry Prescott Graves hired to plan the reconstruction. Military murals by French artist

Paul Philippoteaux Paul Dominique Philippoteaux (27 January 1846 – 28 June 1923) was a French artist. He is best known for a cyclorama illustrating the Battle of Gettysburg. Life and career Paul Philippoteaux was born in Paris, the son of the French artist ...

were installed on the second floor. In 1981, the library was renamed the Pollard Memorial Library in memory of the late Mayor Samuel S. Pollard. In 2000–2002 the building was remodeled for $10 million to modernize the building.

Jack Kerouac Jean-Louis Lebris de Kérouac (; March 12, 1922 – October 21, 1969), known as Jack Kerouac, was an American novelist and poet who, alongside William S. Burroughs and Allen Ginsberg, was a pioneer of the Beat Generation. Of French-Canadian a ...

was a frequent visitor to the library as a teenager. He often skipped classes to read at the library. In February 2015 the library dedicated a spot in the library as the Kerouac Corner in honor of the author. In early January 2018, pipes burst in the reference room of the library, causing extensive damage throughout the building. The alarm system failed to notify city officials, leaving the water pouring over the course of a weekend until it was discovered on Monday. The flood destroyed countless books and records, some of which were sent to archivists to be restored. The library underwent construction to repair the damaged rooms, remaining closed for several weeks until it reopened near the beginning of March.

Past library directors

* Josiah Hubbard 1845–1860 * Frederick A. Chase 1897 * Hugh Downey 1943–1969 * Mary Johnson-Lally 1995–2003

Currently

File:Front and Side entrance to PML.jpg, Front and Side entrance to PML File:South Entrance Pollard Memorial Library.JPG, South Entrance Pollard Memorial Library File:Memorial hall entrance to Pollard Memorial Library.jpg, Memorial hall entrance to Pollard Memorial Library File:Second relief pollard memorial library.jpg, Second relief pollard memorial library File:Entrance to Pollard Memorial Library.jpg, Entrance to Pollard Memorial Library File:Stained glass Pollard Memorial Library.jpg, Stained glass Pollard Memorial Library File:Dedication plaque for Pollard Memorial Library; Lowell, MA; 2011-08-20.JPG, Dedication plaque for Pollard Memorial Library; Lowell, MA; 2011-08-20 File:Pollard Memorial Library; Lowell, MA; north (back) side; 2011-08-20.JPG, Pollard Memorial Library; Lowell, MA; north (back) side; 2011-08-20 In the mid-2000s the century-old National Historic building underwent a major $8.5m renovation. 5The city also, recently expanded the library system to include the Senior Center Branch, located in the City of Lowell Senior Center. In fiscal year 2008, the city of Lowell spent 0.36% ($975,845) of its budget on its public libraries, which houses 236,000 volumes, and is a part of the Merrimack Valley Library Consortium. Currently, circulation of materials averages around 250,000 annually, with approximately one-third deriving from the children's collection. 387] In fiscal year 2009, Lowell spent 0.35% ($885,377) of its budget on the library—some $8 per person. As of 2012, the Pollard Library arranges access for its patrons to databases owned by:

EBSCO Industries EBSCO Industries is an American company founded in 1944 by Elton Bryson Stephens Sr. and headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, Birmingham, Alabama. The ''EBSCO'' acronym is based on ''Elton Bryson Stephens Company''. EBSCO Industries is a diver ...

;

Gale A gale is a strong wind; the word is typically used as a descriptor in nautical contexts. The U.S. National Weather Service defines a gale as sustained surface winds moving at a speed of between 34 and 47 knots (, or ).Cengage Learning, Inc.; Heritage Archives, Inc.;

New England Historic Genealogical Society The New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS) is the oldest and largest genealogical society in the United States, founded in 1845. NEHGS provides family history services through its staff, original scholarship, website,OverDrive, Inc.;

ProQuest ProQuest LLC is an Ann Arbor, Michigan-based global information-content and technology company, founded in 1938 as University Microfilms by Eugene B. Power. ProQuest is known for its applications and information services for libraries, provid ...

; and World Trade Press. In 2012 the library unveiled a collection of art discovered in the library and restored by local resident Peter Kostoulakos. Items included ''Brook in the Snow'' by Rockport landscape painter Aldro T. Hibbard and a portrait of library architect Frederick Stickney.

Art and artifacts collection

* ''Venezia'' by David Neal (local artist from 1883 to 1915) located on the ground floor of the building. *

Edith Nourse Rogers Edith Rogers (née Nourse; March 19, 1881 – September 10, 1960) was an American social welfare volunteer and politician who served in the United States Congress. She was the first woman elected to Congress from Massachusetts. Until 2012, ...

Proclamation located on the ground floor of the building. * ''The Art of Painting'' and ''The Textile Industry'' by Vesper Lincoln George located on the first floor. * Copy of ''Washington at Dorchester Heights'' by Samuel P. Howes (local artist and student of

Gilbert Stuart Gilbert Charles Stuart ( Stewart; December 3, 1755 – July 9, 1828) was an American painter from Rhode Island Colony who is widely considered one of America's foremost portraitists. His best-known work is an unfinished portrait of George Washi ...

who painted the original)located on the first floor. * ''Daniel Webster'' by Thomas Bayley Lawson (local artist and founder of the Lowell Art Association in 1878) located on the first floor. * Various Audubon prints from the Lockwood edition of Birds of America located on the first floor. * ''Samuel S. Pollard'' by Helen F. Dube located on the first floor. * ''Elizabeth Sterns Davis'' and ''John Davis'' by Edward C. Tarbell located on the first floor. * Frederick W. Stickney by Ernest L. Ipsen located on the first floor. * Imari Vase attributed to Kanzo located on the first floor. * ''Abraham Lincoln'' by Samuel P. Howes located on the second floor. * ''Daniel Webster'' by Thomas Bayley Lawson located on the second floor. * ''Brook in the Snow'' by Aldro T. Hibbard located on the second floor. * ''Harriet Farley'' by Marisha Guttman located on the second floor. * ''Battle of Shiloh, Lee's Surrender at Appomattox'', and ''Siege of Fort Donelson'' by

located in Memorial Hall. * Various Terra Cotta Friezes by Henry F. Plasschaert located on the Merrimack St. exterior of the building.

Controversies

In 2011 Diane Cloutier, a Library Assistant, accused city officials and other library employees of harassment. Cloutier was a vocal supporter of improving safety at the library. In February 2012, Cloutier filed a discrimination complaint for creating a

hostile work environment In United States labor law, a hostile work environment exists when one's behavior within a workplace creates an environment that is difficult or uncomfortable for another person to work in, due to illegal discrimination. Common complaints in sexua ...

. In March 2013 it was revealed that money was missing from the Friends of the Library account. The inquiry was promoted by the resignation and withdrawal from the State of Massachusetts retirement system of library assistant Donna Deuso. Deuso denied any involvement and accused library officials of harassing her for her friendship with Cloutier. Deuso went on to file a discrimination complaint against the library in November 2013. Cloutier was told to leave the library on October 29, 2013—Cloutier claimed it was termination, the City of Lowell claimed it she was told to leave temporarily for disability reasons. In December 2013, she filed a second discrimination complaint; this one in regards to her alleged termination. In August 2014, ''The Lowell Sun'' reported that Cloutier was accusing the City of Lowell for invasion of privacy after the city's private investigator filmed her and her mother at their home. Cloutier eventually brought her claims to federal court. Most of her claims were dismissed by a federal judge, and in March 2018 a jury rejected her remaining claims. 1899 Lowell public library Massachusetts

1899 Lowell public library Massachusetts

Citations

External links

Pollard Memorial Library webpage
{{authority control Library buildings completed in 1893 Public libraries in Massachusetts Libraries in Middlesex County, Massachusetts Buildings and structures in Lowell, Massachusetts Education in Lowell, Massachusetts Libraries established in 1844