On April 30, 1860, the Worcester Public Library first opened its doors to the public. WPL has provided free service to the public for the past 160 years, and this service continues virtually during the COVID-19 crisis.

 

Librarians gathered some fun and interesting information to share with you in honor of our birthday. First you can check out a brief history of the library written by Genealogy and Local History Librarian Joy Hennig. Check out Part 1 and Part 2.

 

There is also a photo gallery of the library and our patrons through the years. There are some really cool photos here straight from the stacks of our Worcester Room.

 

You can see a list of 160 Books We Love here, or download bookmarks and print them here.

 

Finally, go to our Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter and leave us a birthday message! We love hearing from you, and look forward to seeing everyone again once the library reopens. Keep your eye on our website for updates!