Phoenixville Public Library

Mission :

The mission of the Phoenixville Public Library is to provide access to information and services that address the educational, cultural and recreational needs of the community the library serves.

The Public Library of Phoenixville began its existence in 1896 when a group of prominent citizens took advantage of a law passed by Pennsylvania legislators making it legal for school districts to own and operate public libraries. At that time, there were no libraries affiliated with the public schools. The School Directors agreed to foster a public library, which was called the Public Library of the Phoenixville School District. A small collection of books donated from the Young Men’s Literary Union founded by Reverend Joseph F. Jannison in the mid 1850’s, which was a private subscription Library, formed the core collection of the new Library. Prior to the establishment of the Literary Union, a community library was formed in 1843 called the Phoenixville Library Company. The Company eventually merged with the Literary Union and the Public Library of the Phoenixville School District.