This collection is open under the rules and regulations of the Providence Public Library, Special Collections department.

The Olneyville Free Library Association Records include correspondence, financial ledgers, membership and board meeting minutes, mortgage bonds, receipts, wills and legal papers. The materials span from the creation of the Olneyville Free Library Association to after the merger with the Providence Public Library.

The Olneyville Free Library Association Records are organized into 5 series. Series 1- Legal Papers; Series 2 -Correspondence from 1904- 1964; Series 3 - Treasury and Financial Reports; Series 4 - Administrative and Membership Records; Series 5 - Miscellaneous.

[item title], Olneyville Free Library Association records, Rhode Island Collection, Providence Public Library

Copyrights are owned by the Providence Public Library.

See also FA.015-03-01, Providence Public Library Photograph Collection, Providence Public LIbrary

The Olneyville Free Library was formed in 1875 and was originally located in the mill at 12 Hartford Avenue. This library was later annexed to the Town of Johnston in 1898. In 1899 a new location was built in Olneyville Square on land willed to the library by Miss Sarah Waterman in 1890. The will of Miss Sarah Waterman stipulated that the library should be constructed within five years of her death, and should bear the Waterman name. The Olneyville Free Library opened this new location of the Waterman Building in 1900. The library was located on the second and third floors, with the first floor serving as rented storefronts. The library became a branch of the Providence Public library in 1946. The Waterman building was remodeled in 1955 with the removal of the top two floors. The Olneyville branch closed in 1981. A new branch location was opened by the Providence Public Library located at 1 Olneyville Square in 1989. In 2009, the Olneyville branch library became part of the Providence Community Libraries. The Waterman building was bought in 2000 by the Olneyville Arts Collaborative, LLC.

Materials are in English.

https://www.provlib.org/wp-content/uploads/finding-aids/015-02-03-FA.pdf.

Materials were acquired from creator.

Collection was processed by Crystal Johnson in 2015.

Materials were acquired when Providence Public Library took over administration of the Olneyville branch library in 1946.