Explore PPL in pictures through the years!
Butler Exchange Building: the original home of PPL
Originally the Standard Library, seen here in 1903, is now the Gallery Walk
Outside PPL on Washington Street in 1913.
The Foreign Dept, now the Special Collections Reading Room, in 1915
The Great Hall in 1915
The Children's Department is seen here in 1925
Reference Room in 1925
PPL begins raising money for an addition in 1931
Murals in 1935
A woman plays the piano in 1938
The reference desk seen here in 1942
WPRO's Once Upon a Time recorded in 1943
Three women walk down the stairs of the Washington Street entrance in 1943
A 1946 window display at PPL
The Circulation Desk in 1947
The Cornerstone Ceremony took place in 1952
PPL's new addition seen here in 1954
The Art. and Music Department in 1958
New Books section seen here in 1958
This 1962 photo shows the Central Circulation Desk
WJAR TV recording in 1963
A 1966 photo of the card catalog
The Art and Music Department in 1966
A 1967 photo of the Microfilm Reading Room
Children doing crafts in the Wanskuck branch in the 1970s
Children reading at the South Providence branch in 1971
Circulation Desk in the 1970s
Black Heritage Dinner at the Smith Hill Branch in 1977
Russian Collection at Rochambeau in the 1970s
Children enjoy the Washington Park Branch in 1976
New lawn planted at the Rochambeau Branch in 1978
A book sale in 1986
The 1986 Central renovation
Central Circulation Desk
Grand Opening in 1988 concludes the renovation
Teens use the computer at Knight Memorial in 1988
A lamb visits PPL
Event in PPL's Auditorium in 1989
Kids play with balloons in 1988
Scruff The Crime Dog takes a bite out of crime at PPL
Story Hour at Rochambeau in the early 1990s.
The stacks in the 1990s
Children at the Fox Point Branch in 1993
Story hour at PPL in 1994
PPL covered in snow after a 1996 snowstorm
Kids Connect Day in 1997
Julia Child visits PPL
Santa visits PPL in 1999
Funda Festival in 1999
Kids plant flowers at the Mt. Pleasant Branch in 1999
Computers looked a bit different in 2000
James Earl Jones visits Knight Memorial Library in 2006
Ben Franklin (impersonator) visits PPL during Exhibit & Programs in 2007
Mt. Pleasant Branch Cradle to Crayons Story Time in 2007
PPL's new makerspace Workshop
A woman uses a computer in one of PPL's new classrooms
Patrons explore an exhibition in the Boghossian Gallery
An event in PPL's renovated Farish Auditorium
The Seminar Room
The Nicholson Whaling Collection on display in the Reading Room
The Auditorium Lobby