There are 30 public libraries in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. The Delaware County Libraries is a federation of 26 library organizations, with 28 branches.[1] The law library in the county courthouse is not a member of the county system, but its holdings are listed in the system catalog. The Upper Chichester Library is also located in the county but not part of the system.
The libraries in the county system are independent non-profit organizations which are funded by local municipalities, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania through the county system, and from donations. A library card from any library in the system is valid at all other libraries in the system and at most libraries in the state.[2][1]
The county system serves 550,000 residents with a collection of 1,400,000 volumes. 2,150,000 items circulate per year.[3]
| Name | Image | Founded | Built | Location | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aston Public Library | 
|
1977 | c.1985 | 3270 Concord Road, Aston 39°52′03″N 75°25′15″W / 39.8676°N 75.4209°W |
In the community center |
| Collingdale Public Library | 
|
823 MacDade Blvd. Collingdale 39°54′41″N 75°16′43″W / 39.9115°N 75.2786°W |
|||
| Darby Free Library | 
|
1743 | 1872 | 1001 Main Street, Darby 39°55′13″N 75°15′47″W / 39.9202°N 75.2631°W |
Organized March 10, 1743 by 29 Quakers as a subscription library. First 45 books arrived from England on November 5, 1743,[4] In 1898 the library became free and open to the public.[5][6][7] |
| Folcroft Public Library | 
|
1940 | 1973 | 1725 Delmar Drive, Folcroft 39°53′39″N 75°16′44″W / 39.8941°N 75.2789°W |
|
| Glenolden Library | 
|
1894 | 1939 | 211 S. Llanwellyn Ave., Glenolden 39°54′00″N 75°17′34″W / 39.8999°N 75.2927°W |
|
| Haverford Township Free Library | 
|
1934 | 1601 Darby Road, Havertown 39°58′53″N 75°18′18″W / 39.9815°N 75.3049°W | ||
| Helen Kate Furness Library | 
|
1902 | 1916 | 100 N. Providence Road, Wallingford 39°54′16″N 75°22′29″W / 39.9045°N 75.3748°W |
Founded to honor Shakespearean scholar Horace Howard Furness. He later endowed the library with $5,000 on the condition that it be named for his wife. Located on his former estate Lindenshade. |
| J. Lewis Crozer Library | 
|
1769 | 1877 (1st building) 1976 (current building) |
620 Engle Street, Chester 39°50′16″N 75°23′15″W / 39.83783°N 75.3875°W |
Founded February 14, 1769. Operated, with hiatuses during the Revolution, the War of 1812, and the Civil War, until 1871 when it was reorganized. Renamed Crozer Library in 1925. The current building, a former branch, is in Veterans Memorial Park.[8][9] |
| Judge Francis J. Catania Law Library – Delaware County Courthouse | 
|
1851 | 1933 (4th floor of courthouse) | 201 West Front Street, Media 39°55′11″N 75°23′30″W / 39.9197°N 75.3917°W |
In the courthouse and open to the public, but very limited circulation |
| Lansdowne Public Library | 
|
1898 | 1982 | 55 S. Lansdowne Ave., Lansdowne, 39°56′11″N 75°16′18″W / 39.9365°N 75.2716°W |
|
| Marple Public Library | 
|
2599 Sproul Rd., Broomall 39°58′29″N 75°21′48″W / 39.9747°N 75.3633°W |
In the municipal building | ||
| Mary M. Campbell Marcus Hook Public Library | 
|
10th & Green, Marcus Hook 39°49′10″N 75°25′07″W / 39.8194°N 75.4187°W |
In the borough hall | ||
| Media-Upper Providence Free Library | 
|
1901 | 2016 | 1 E. Front Street, Media 39°55′08″N 75°23′20″W / 39.9190°N 75.3889°W |
|
| Middletown Free Library | 
|
1956 | 21 N. Pennell Road, Lima 39°54′49″N 75°26′21″W / 39.9137°N 75.4393°W |
||
| Newtown Public Library | 
|
1974 | 2003 | 201 Bishop Hollow Rd., Newtown Square 39°58′50″N 75°24′28″W / 39.9806°N 75.4079°W |
Adjoins the township office |
| Norwood Public Library | 
|
1925 | 1951 | 513 Welcome Ave., Norwood 39°53′27″N 75°18′07″W / 39.8909°N 75.3019°W |
|
| Prospect Park Free Library | 
|
1923 | 720 Maryland Ave., Prospect Park 39°53′17″N 75°18′30″W / 39.8881°N 75.3084°W |
||
| Rachel Kohl Community Library | 
|
1979 | 1989 | 687 Smithbridge Road, Glen Mills 39°52′02″N 75°30′48″W / 39.8673°N 75.5133°W |
|
| Radnor Memorial Library | 
|
1940 | 1980 | 167 W. Lancaster Ave., Wayne 40°02′34″N 75°23′20″W / 40.0429°N 75.3890°W |
|
| Ridley Park Public Library | 
|
1888[10] | 1912 | 107 East Ward Street, Ridley Park 39°52′51″N 75°19′24″W / 39.8808°N 75.3232°W |
A Carnegie Library |
| Ridley Township Public Library | 
|
1957 | 1971 | 100 East MacDade Blvd., Folsom 39°53′10″N 75°19′45″W / 39.8862°N 75.3291°W |
In the Municipal Building |
| Sharon Hill | 
|
246 Sharon Ave., Sharon Hill 39°54′24″N 75°16′21″W / 39.9067°N 75.2724°W |
|||
| Springfield Township Library | 
|
70 Powell Road, Springfield 39°55′51″N 75°19′48″W / 39.9307°N 75.3299°W |
Next to the Municipal Building | ||
| Swarthmore Public Library | 
|
1929 | 1951 | 121 Park Avenue, Swarthmore 39°54′05″N 75°20′54″W / 39.9015°N 75.3484°W |
In the municipal building |
| Tinicum Memorial Public Library | 
|
620 Seneca St., Essington 39°52′07″N 75°17′36″W / 39.8686°N 75.2932°W |
|||
| Upper Chichester Library | 
|
2001 | 3374 Chichester Ave. #19, Boothwyn 39°50′13″N 75°26′35″W / 39.8369°N 75.4430°W |
Small township-supported library in a shopping mall across from Chichester High School. Not part of the County Library system[11] | |
| Upper Darby Township/Sellers Library – Main Sellers Branch | 
|
1931 | 1975 | 76 South State Rd., Upper Darby 39°57′44″N 75°16′24″W / 39.9623°N 75.2733°W |
Sellers library founded in 1934 and merged with the municipal library in 1935. Sellers moved into the historic Hoodland house in 1935, with a large modern style building built and connected to the house in 1975.[12] |
| Upper Darby Township/Sellers Library – Municipal Branch | 
|
501 Bywood Ave., Upper Darby 39°57′33″N 75°15′59″W / 39.9592°N 75.2665°W |
|||
| Upper Darby Township/Sellers Library – Primos Branch | 
|
409 Ashland Ave., Primos 39°55′07″N 75°18′18″W / 39.9186°N 75.3051°W |
|||
| Yeadon Public Library | 
|
809 Longacre Blvd., Yeadon 39°56′10″N 75°15′04″W / 39.9362°N 75.2511°W |
References
edit- ^ a b "Our Libraries". Delaware County Libraries. Retrieved August 11, 2017.
- ^ See, e.g. Aston Public Library's annual report, "Aston Public Library - 2015" (PDF). Retrieved August 16, 2017.
- ^ Breeding, Marshall. "Delaware County Library System". Libraries.org. Retrieved September 27, 2017.
- ^ "History of Darby Library". Darby Free Library. Retrieved August 15, 2017.
- ^ Serrill, Kate W. (1908). "A Sketch of the Darby Library Company". Pennsylvania Library and Museum Notes, Volumes 1-8. Pennsylvania. Free Library Commission. p. 68.
- ^ Mirror mirror on the wall, who's the OLDEST of them all…?, Sturgis Library
- ^ Bello, Marisol (February 2, 2009). "Country's oldest public library could close this year". USA Today. Retrieved August 16, 2017.
- ^ "Crozer Library's History". Crozer Library. Retrieved August 15, 2017.
- ^ Martin, John Hill (1877). Chester (and Its Vicinity,) Delaware County, in Pennsylvania. W. H. Pile & Sons. p. 450. ISBN 9785871484241. Retrieved August 15, 2017.
- ^ Lockhart, Keith (1987). Ridley Park Centennial: 1887 - 1987.
- ^ "About Us". Upper Chichester Library. Retrieved October 4, 2017.
- ^ "About". Upper Darby Township & Sellers Memorial Free Public Libraries. Retrieved September 24, 2017.
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