Thomas Crane Public Library

The Thomas Crane Public Library first opened on May 30, 1882, with funding by Albert Crane and his mother, Clarissa Starkey Crane in an effort to memorialize his father, granite magnate Thomas Crane, into Quincy history. 

Henry Hobson Richardson (1838 – 1886) was called to the task of creating what would later be recognized as his most notable library designs. An interior of southern pine and an exterior of Longmeadow brownstone and Quincy granite is showcased with intricate columns, banisters, and a hand carved fireplace. Visitors entered the extraordinary building by first walking through the serene lawn designed by Frederick Law Olmsted (1822 – 1903). The historic building was recognized as a National Historic Landmark in 1987, and the lawn was formally named the Olmsted Lawn in April 2024.

A demand for more books and more space due to a growing population brought  William Martin Aiken (1855 – 1908) to create the Aiken Ell in 1907. The campus lawn of the Library was updated again under the direction of the Olmsted Brothers at that time. Now servicing a population of over 100,000 people, the Library has seen additional expansions with the Coletti Building (1939) and the CBT extension (2001). It continues to modify its building and services to meet the needs of its patrons as it fulfills its mission to serve equitably, embrace its community, offer education, entertainment, and access to all.