Last stop at the library...

One final stop at the Parkway Central Library which we found nestled behind locked doors, kindly opened by our guide. I have searched online for more information to share with you, but cannot find anything - it's apparently a fairly well-kept secret. But our tour guide told us that a wealthy Philadelphian left his library - containing a glorious rare book collection - to the "Free Library" in Philadelphia, which eagerly anticipated this fine bequest. But they were told that Mr. Elkins wanted his library - the entire structure - given to the library.
As it happened, an architect named Moshe Safdie had built Mr. Elkins' library and had recently renovated the stacks in the center of the Parkway library to create more flexible spaces for learning and working. He undertook the challenge of moving Elkins' library - walls, floor, shelves, carpet, furniture, and fixtures - to the second floor of Parkway Central Library adjacent to the Rare Book Collection. So we have a library within the library, which includes a fine collection of first editions of Charles Dickens and hundreds of other fine rare books. In one corner is Charles Dickens' desk, and in the veneer of the desk are the initials "CD", which the author himself allegedly scratched there himself.
Here are some photos of the "library within the library". We were grateful to have the opportunity to see it.


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23 comments:

  1. What an exquisite private library this is/was for the fortunate Mr. Elkins had during his lifetime and how interesting that it was able to be bequeathed entirely to the Philadelphia Free Library! It reminds me a bit of the Morgan Library in NYC which was also a private collection of JP Morgan and full of treasured books and srtifcats he collected over his life time, and now a museum.

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  2. I do love a good library, especially one filled with vintage books.

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  3. That's really interesting (and a bit nuts - could have given the whole building as a 'branch' for the library). I wonder how he got Dicken's desk? And that's some writer's block, where you distract yourself scratching your name into a desk....

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  4. What a civilized beautiful place! Thank you friend Aloha

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  5. Would love to curl up on one of the sofas with a book!

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  6. What a stunning library!
    The rare books and Dickens' desk with his initials carved into it are remarkable!
    Happy Tuesday, Sue!

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  7. Fascinating hidden gem. Love the Dickens desk!

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  8. my goodness, my dream was always to have a library like this, with deep chairs to sink into with a book, and a ladder that runs on rails along the shelves. Bliss. Enjoy your week and thankyou again for the linkup.

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  9. Library looks amazing , Great pics.
    Thanks a lot for hosting.

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  10. Amazing library. Think sitting there with an realy good book

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  11. This is fascinating, I want to go there. Safdie is a Canadian.
    Our reference library has a room dedicated to Sherlock Holmes.

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  12. Wonderful, these old furnitures and the wooden rooms. I like this very much.
    Have a good time and all the best
    Violetta

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  13. Wow, that is one spectacular library! And on a fun note, I have a friend who used to work for Moshe Safdie. :)

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  14. How nice! There is something magical about a room full of books.

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  15. You have now idea how much I love these kind of places. Amazing!
    Thank you so much for your post!
    Happy WW and a fine week!❤️😘

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  16. What a beautiful recreation of Mr Elkin's Library. All those beautiful old books.

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  17. Have a great day! Amazing pics of the library

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  18. That is so super amazing. What a beautiful library. Very nice. Thanks for hosting and I hope that you have a wonderful week.

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  19. Oh my, such an amazing moody found! It's a place I would like to enjoy too. Thanks a lot for sharing.

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  20. That library is gorgeous, I would love to sit there reading for an afternoon.I recently read an article in Smithsonian magazine about the origin of public libraries. I don't remember all the detail but it seems it was started in Philadelphia by someone who donated a private library to the city. And I believe Benjamin Franklin was involved someway. I wonder if this is the same library.

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  21. Absolutely stunning. I would sure enjoy studying in a beautiful place like that library!
    Thank you for hosting. I have linked up with #42.

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