2658 East Main Road | Portsmouth, RI | 02871 | (401) 683-9457 | Hours

What's Happening

A Second Session has been added on Tuesdays at 12:30 pm!
The library will be closed Sunday March 31 for the Easter holiday
We have RI resident and non-resident forms. We no longer have federal forms.
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Once a month, we will host an informal drop in with resources for families and caregivers

Book Clubs

The 3rd Tuesday Book Club will be meeting on Tuesday, March 19 at 4:30 PM and 6:30 PM!  The March book is The Ends of the World by Peter Brannen.  Refreshments will be served.

Our Mystery Meetup Book Club is on to our fourth selection.  For April, we'll be reading a book with a murder, academia, and a secret diary with some pretty scary things to say.  We can't wait to leaf through The Stranger Diaries by Elly Griffiths on Tuesday, April 2 at 6:30 PM.  Copies are available to borrow at the Circulation Desk.

About Us

Portsmouth Free Public Library grew from a group of people called the Thursday Evening Group who met at the Guild House of St. Paul's Church and at members' homes to discuss literature and culture.  It was proposed that a meeting be held to explore the possibility of a town library.  About 50 of the town's influential people attended this meeting on March 18, 1897, and a charter was granted by RI Secretary of State Charles P. Bennett on March 26, 1897 to form a library "for the distribution of books and other literary purposes."  In March 2022, the Library celebrated its 125th anniversary and continues to provide Portsmouth citizens of all ages the best in reading material and so much more.  

The mission of Portsmouth Free Public Library is to serve as an essential resource that grows with our community, enhances the quality of life of our users, supports lifelong learning, and offers access to information in a variety of ways. We provide outstanding customer service and a welcoming environment for all.  The Library shall enthusiastically promote its functions in the community, provide full access to a broad variety of materials and information, including beyond the local collection, and function with efficiency and courtesy to provide a pleasant experience.

The Board of Trustees is the governing body of Portsmouth Free Public Library. It consists of members who are elected from the Portsmouth Free Public Library Association.  The Board meets on the first Monday of each month at 7 PM.  In case of a Monday holiday, the Board will meet on the second Monday of the month.  The first Monday in May is the annual meeting.

Association membership is open to all residents of the Town of Portsmouth who are eighteen years of age and pay annual dues. The Portsmouth Town Council may appoint two Trustees. The Trustees serve without remuneration of any kind. Non Residents may join the Association but do not have voting rights.

Hours & Contact

   
Mon - Wed 9-8
Thu - Fri 9-6
Sat 9-5
Sun 1-5

Website funded by The Book Nook

Address
2658 E Main Rd
Portsmouth, RI
02871

Phone

(401) 683-9457

Fax

(401) 683-5013

Upcoming Events

Mar
19
10:30am - 11:00am
Story Time for babies aged 0-18 months! This storytime is a drop event; no registration is required.
Mar
19
10:45am - 12:00pm
Marie is back with more chair yoga exercises!  Chair yoga is a gentle approach to Yoga that is practiced sitting in a chair, and, often, standing using our chair. ...
Mar
19
12:30pm - 1:45pm
The Library is so excited to be offering a second session of Chair Yoga with Marie!  This session immediately follows the first class except there will be no class on the...
Mar
19
Tuesday, March 19
10:45am - 12:00pm
Marie is back with more chair yoga exercises!  Chair yoga is a gentle approach to Yoga that is practiced sitting in a chair, and, often, standing using our chair. ...
Mar
19
Tuesday, March 19
12:30pm - 1:45pm
The Library is so excited to be offering a second session of Chair Yoga with Marie!  This session immediately follows the first class except there will be no class on the...
Mar
19
Tuesday, March 19
6:30pm - 7:30pm
Join us for a discussion of The Ends of the World: Volcanic Apocalypses, Lethal Oceans, and Our Quest to Understand Earth's Past Mass Extinctions by Peter Brannen.  As new...
Mar
19
Tuesday, March 19
10:30am - 11:00am
Story Time for babies aged 0-18 months! This storytime is a drop event; no registration is required.
Mar
20
Wednesday, March 20
10:30am - 11:00am
Storytime for toddlers aged 18 months to 3 years!  This storytime is a drop event; no registration is required.
Mar
21
Thursday, March 21
10:30am - 11:00am
Storytime for children age 3 and up!  This storytime is a drop event; no registration is required.
Mar
25
Monday, March 25
6:00pm - 7:00pm
Sky Puppies bi-monthly meeting!
Mar
30
Saturday, March 30
10:00am - 12:00pm
Join Dungeon Master Naiara for a one-shot adventure!  Become a hero on a dangerous quest to search for treasure, battle deadly foes, or even carry out daring rescues.   Haven...
Apr
02
Tuesday, April 02
1:00pm - 4:00pm
Enjoy your day off from school with an afternoon of video games and virtual reality. One Up Games will bring their gaming systems, screens, and virtual reality set up so you...
Apr
02
Tuesday, April 02
6:30pm - 7:30pm
Welcome to our new monthly book club, centered around mysteries! Join us each month on the first Tuesday at 6:30 to discuss that month's selection. We will read a variety of...
Apr
13
Saturday, April 13
10:00am - 12:00pm
Join Dungeon Master Naiara for a one-shot adventure!  Become a hero on a dangerous quest to search for treasure, battle deadly foes, or even carry out daring rescues.   Haven...

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