Location

The library is located at 100 King St., Northumberland PA 17857. It is at the corner of Front St. (Rt. 11) and King St. Parking is available along both Front and King Streets.

History

Our building, once known as "The Cross Keys Inn," was constructed around 1825 and was used in its earliest years as a tavern and stage coach stop.  In 1864 it was purchased by Joseph Priestley's great-grandson who remodeled it for his home and medical practice.  The building remained part of the family estate until 1925, when Mrs. Frances Priestley Forsyth donated the house and her books to be used as a public library.  In 1981 the building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Mission

Our mission is to provide quality materials and services which fulfill the educational, informational, cultural and recreational needs of the entire community in an atmosphere that is welcoming and respectful.

Goals

1.  To serve all residents of the community and the surrounding region.

 2.  To acquire and make available to all residents of the above area such books, periodicals, electronic resources, and other services as well as address their needs to a) become well informed, b) locate answers to important questions, c) cultivate the imagination and creative expression, d) develop skills for career and vocational advancement and 3) enjoy leisure by means of reading and other media services.

3.  To maintain a program of service which located information, guides reading, organizes and interprets material for people of various backgrounds, and stimulates thinking and intellectual development in individuals of any age.

4.  To strive consistently to discover new methods and improvements for better service for the library's customers.

5.  To review regularly these goals of the Priestley-Forsyth Memorial Library, and, if necessary, revise them in the light of new developments.

Collections

We are a circulating library that offers a diverse range of books, magazines, audio-books, toys, games and other materials for patrons of all ages.  Our children's materials are on the second floor, while adult materials as well as computers with Internet access are on the first floor.

Programs

We offer a wide variety of programs for children and adults.  For more information, see our calendar of events.

Services

We pride ourselves on being a service oriented library.  We offer computer instruction, provide reference assistance, computers with Internet access, fax services, Interlibrary Loan, etc.  We participate in Access PA, which allows cardholders to borrow from most public libraries in the Commonwealth and makes available numerous premium subscription services through PowerLibrary, designed to assist patrons of all ages.