Membership
You are invited to join one of the oldest and most esteemed membership libraries in the United States, The Athenaeum of Philadelphia! Hear what our members have to say:
“Our uniquely rich collections weave tapestries of Philadelphia’s history – from its ideological and idealist founding, to its brick and mortar planning and execution, through its cultural, creative, and industrial development. The Athenaeum holds a place in our city that’s not unlike the place our city holds in the world. We are a central library that records and explores the history of humanity’s better angels, its occasional falls from grace, the genius of the invention of the city itself and a celebration of the ideas behind the greatness of America, the uniqueness of Philadelphia and the future of an ever-changing urban cultural landscape.”
- Ed Tettemer, Athenaeum of Philadelphia Member since 2012
Become a part of Philadelphia’s rich 19th century history by joining the Athenaeum today.
The Athenaeum of Philadelphia has three (3) General Membership Levels ·
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Shareholder: Receive full privileges at the Athenaeum, cost of a Shareholder Membership: $500 (one–time share purchase) + $210 Annual Dues (to be collected in February) All new Shareholders will be issued an Athenaeum of Philadelphia share certificate as well as a brief biography about one of the share’s previous owners – often dating back to the Athenaeum’s founding in 1814.
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Subscriber (Individual): Subscribers to the Athenaeum pay an annual membership fee of $250.
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Young Friends (Individual): Young Friends of the Athenaeum pay an annual membership fee of $75. Memberships are reserved for those individuals who are age 18-35.
All members receive:
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An official Athenaeum of Philadelphia library card, decal and bookmark
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Free or discounted ticketing to events
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Invitation to new members’ orientation and reception
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Regular receipt of email bulletins and mailed program brochures
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Members-only access to exhibition openings, receptions, tours, lectures, and special events
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Opportunity to volunteer as an Athenaeum Ambassador or as a committee, task force, or advisory group participant
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Generous lending times, short waiting periods, and NO fees for popular books
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Use of beautiful reading rooms, members lounge with coffee, tea, and daily newspapers, and Wi-Fi access throughout our National Historic Landmark building
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Borrowing privileges from our continuously expanding circulating and reference library collection of over 355,000 titles, including recent releases and popular fiction, hard-to-find material, magazines, journals, DVDs and eBooks
Benefits for Shareholders at The Athenaeum of Philadelphia:
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All of the above +
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Invitation to and voting privileges at annual Shareholder’s meeting & cocktail party
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Receipt of a personalized Shareholder certificate that can be passed on to family members
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Access to the University of Pennsylvania library holdings – ability to check out from their 7 million volume circulating library (a $400 annual value)
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At-home mail delivery of books
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Reservation privileges for The Athenaeum’s DuBarry Conference Room
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Free subscription to the Philadelphia Architects & Buildings (PAB) Database.
Subscription Includes:
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Access to PAB’s 130,000+ high-resolution digital images from the Athenaeum’s rich holdings, and the collections of many other local repositories
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The ability to download images into an unlimited number of personally-curated PowerPoint slide shows
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Discounts of up to 25% on orders placed with the Athenaeum’s Regional Digital Imaging Center
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20% discount off books at the University of Pennsylvania Press
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Reciprocal privileges at a consortium of membership libraries nationwide and introduction by Executive Director prior to visit
Contact our Membership Coordinator Gabrielle Rodriguez for further information at 215-925-2688 or membership@PhilaAthenaeum.org.