The original is in the Library 8 Islington Street and opened in 1896′ One hundred and ten years later, the new library opened its doors at 175 Parrott Avenue in December 2006′ The new library has more than 38,000 square feet state of the art space’ A bright, light and air space very comfortable plush chairs to enjoy a magazine or a newspaper and work areas to focus on their projects’ Wireless internet is available throughout’

It was designed as a “green” construction’ Optimization of energy performance above 32′5%, there are views in 90% of the space, reducing light pollution, light of day in 75% of the space, reducing the use of water and water scenery’ Local and regional materials were used in 20% of the building’ Low emission materials were used, whether through painting, carpet and composite wood’ An interesting fact is the first word is only 10′5 meters above sea level

Upon entering the library, it is difficult to lose the freedom Polo Eagle c’1824 hung in the main staircase of the time capsule’ It was originally carved in the top of the Liberty Pole’ This center is the successor to the original pole was erected in 1766 in the Stamp Act’ In 1977, it was decided that the eagle had become too fragile to stay outside and moved inside the library’ The current release of their own stick and an eagle is on the street in front of Marcy Strawbery Banke’ The eagle is carved in wood and covered with gold leaf’ It is believed that the eagle was carved by Laban Beecher (1805-1876) A Boston sculptor of wood that had come to Portsmouth to sculpture in the sloop of war by the Navy of Concord’ Mr’ Beecher would have been 19 years old when the eagle carved’ It is assumed that only the eagle sculpted car is the only sculptor in the region at the time’

Visit the Special Collections room in search of historic Portsmouth’ The Reference Department is always happy to be of assistance’ Located on the second floor’ The hall has a large portrait of Celia Laighton Thaxted (1835-1894) was painted by Emil Otto Grundmann (German, 1844-1890), was the first Head of the School of the Museum of Fine – Arts in Boston’ Celia Laighton Thaxted was an author, poet, painter and gardener’ He spent most of his life living on the islands of Shoals’ He directed the Appledore Hotel and hosted many exhibitions on 19th-century luminaries, artistic and literary, including Hawthorne, Emerson, and Twain’ His son, Karl Thaxted, donated the portrait to the library in 1896′

The youth wing offers a Teen Room, Sun Room, Board of Audit and activity room’ Several youth-oriented computer use’ A beautiful collection of children’s games, videos and DVDs are housed here’

You can browse the catalog for your home computer by going to www’cityofportsmouth’com / library’ Thanks to the Internet, you can search the catalog, see what they have borrowed, renew books, audio cassettes and VHS, reserve a book and download a wide variety of audio books’

What can we borrow from the library: It’s more than just books!

Music CD – The collection is constantly growing and you can borrow up to 5 discs for two weeks

VHS – Una vasta red, asistir y ahora puede tener el mayor número de cintas de VHS que desea, mantenerlos durante dos semanas e incluso a renovar! Monday is the area of non-fiction, that gives the band a tour of the region’

DVD – Take 5 for a week’ These can not be renewed, but there are a large group of films, documentaries and television programs’

Books on tape and CD – I really enjoy working through the books on CD in the library’ A good way to use time to their staff and other school activities’ Car rides and work days just seem to fly into the audience with a good story’

There is more to the Portsmouth Public Library’ It is certainly a meeting place’ Various activities and groups meet regularly’ On Saturday morning in 1012, is a game of Mah Jong happens in coffee’ Every Tuesday from 7-8:45 pm World War II, meets a group discussion in the Council Chamber MacLeod’ At 7 pm on Monday and Tuesday at 1pm, it is time for discussions of books for adults’ You can find a list of books that will be candidates at the reception’

Film Series is a part of the library scene’ Thursday evening at 7 pm the films are presented in the Levenson Room on the first floor meeting’ Before, it is “Rape” (2007) with Chris Cooper and Laura Linney and “Waitress” (2007), with Keri Russell and Andy Griffith’ The Black Film Series meets Wednesdays at 1pm’ Recent films include “The Asphalt Jungle” (1950) directed by John Huston and Sterling Hayden and “In a lonely place” (1950) directed by Nicholas Ray and starring Humphrey Bogart’

More than 12,000 residents of Portsmouth to borrow books and library’ And if you’re from out of town, you can join too’ Currently, the annual fee year is just $ 75 or join for six months for $ 40′

9-9 Hours are Monday-Thursday 9-5:30 Friday and Saturday, 9-5

Portsmouth Public Library