150th HomePPL’s HistoryTimelineOur Stories150th Gallery150+ Favorite Books150 Merch150 Media Explore PPL in pictures through the years! Butler Exchange Building: the original home of PPL The Great Hall in 1915 Murals in 1935 Three women walk down the stairs of the Washington Street entrance in 1943 PPL's new addition seen here in 1954 WJAR TV recording in 1963 PPL Bookmobile in 1967 Black Heritage Dinner at the Smith Hill Branch in 1977 A book sale in 1986 Teens use the computer at Knight Memorial in 1988 Scruff The Crime Dog takes a bite out of crime at PPL Story hour at PPL in 1994 Santa visits PPL in 1999 Computers looked a bit different in 2000 "Unicorns in Residence: Providence" exhibit in 2015 An event in PPL's renovated Farish Auditorium Originally the Standard Library, seen here in 1903, is now the Gallery Walk The Children's Department is seen here in 1925 A woman plays the piano in 1938 A 1946 window display at PPL The Art. and Music Department in 1958 A 1966 photo of the card catalog Children doing crafts in the Wanskuck branch in the 1970s Russian Collection at Rochambeau in the 1970s The 1986 Central renovation A lamb visits PPL Story Hour at Rochambeau in the early 1990s. PPL covered in snow after a 1996 snowstorm Funda Festival in 1999 James Earl Jones visits Knight Memorial Library in 2006 PPL's new makerspace Workshop The Seminar Room Outside PPL on Washington Street in 1913. Reference Room in 1925 The reference desk seen here in 1942 The Circulation Desk in 1947 New Books section seen here in 1958 The Art and Music Department in 1966 Children reading at the South Providence branch in 1971 Children enjoy the Washington Park Branch in 1976 Central Circulation Desk Event in PPL's Auditorium in 1989 The stacks in the 1990s Kids Connect Day in 1997 Kids plant flowers at the Mt. Pleasant Branch in 1999 Ben Franklin (impersonator) visits PPL during Exhibit & Programs in 2007 A woman uses a computer in one of PPL's new classrooms The Nicholson Whaling Collection on display in the Reading Room The Foreign Dept, now the Special Collections Reading Room, in 1915 PPL begins raising money for an addition in 1931 WPRO's Once Upon a Time recorded in 1943 The Cornerstone Ceremony took place in 1952 This 1962 photo shows the Central Circulation Desk A 1967 photo of the Microfilm Reading Room Circulation Desk in the 1970s New lawn planted at the Rochambeau Branch in 1978 Grand Opening in 1988 concludes the renovation Kids play with balloons in 1988 Children at the Fox Point Branch in 1993 Julia Child visits PPL PPL Bookmobile in 1999 Mt. Pleasant Branch Cradle to Crayons Story Time in 2007 Patrons explore an exhibition in the Boghossian Gallery The Auditorium Lobby