Guide to the Providence Athenaeum charters, constitutions, and by-laws, 1836-2000


Providence Athenaeum
251 Benefit Street
Providence, RI, 02903
Tel: 401-421-6970
email: info@provath.org
website: www.provath.org

Published in 2019

Collection Overview

Title: Providence Athenaeum charters, constitutions, and by-laws
Date range: 1836-2000
Creator: Providence Athenaeum
Extent: 26 items
Abstract: Providence Athenaeum's governance documents (charters, constitutions, by-laws, and amendments) published 1836-2000.
Language of materials: English
Repository: Providence Athenaeum
Collection number: Arch-003

Scope & content

This collection consists of the Providence Athenaeum's governance documents (charters, constitutions, by-laws, and amendments) published 1836-2000. Several of the documents were published separately, but others are bound together with related materials spanning years.

One unpublished item spans governance documents dating 1753-1909 from three Providence subscription libraries (Archives Closet 2, Box 1, Folder 4). Entitled Athenaeum Constitutions, By-Laws, and Regulations from 1753 it conjoins documents from the earlier Providence Library Company (1753-1836), the Providence Athenaeum (1831-1836), as well as the current Providence Athenaeum (1836- ).

Access Points

Subject Organizations Subject Topics Document Types Subject Topics

Arrangement

Arranged by date of publication.

Historical Note

The Providence Athenæum (1836- ) is an independent, member-supported library and cultural center located in Providence, Rhode Island. Founded originally as "The Athenæum" in 1836, its progenitors were two earlier libraries: The Providence Library Company, founded in 1753, and the Providence Athenaeum, founded in 1831. When they could not agree on terms for a merger, both organizations dissolved and a new library was formed, which purchased a selection of books and periodicals from the two earlier institutions. Housed originally in the Arcade on Weybosset Street in downtown Providence, the Athenæum moved to its new building at 251 Benefit Street in July, 1838. In 1850, “The Athenæum” was renamed “The Providence Athenæum" by amendment to its charter.
Brief overview of the Providence Athenaeum Charter & Amendments:
  • 1836 -- When the "Providence Library Company" founded 1753 and the "Providence Athenaeum" founded 1831 dissolved their corporations, a new corporation known as the "Athenaeum" was incorporated February 15, 1836 with a new charter.
  • 1850 -- Name amended to the "Providence Athenaeum" (October 1850 Acts & Resolves, page 29, page 37-40)
  • 1925 -- Amount changed in Sec. 1 "to have, hold, use and dispose of at their pleasure, goods, chattels, lands and tenements, to an amount not exceeding three hundred thousand dollars" (January 1925 Acts & Resolves, page 453)
  • 1958 -- Amount changed in Sec. 1 "to have, hold, use and dispose of at their pleasure, goods, chattels, lands and tenements, to an amount not exceeding seven hundred fifty thousand dollars" (January 1958 Acts & Resolves, pages 1072-1073)
  • 1974 -- Sec. 5 & 6 amended to comply with the 501c (3) requirements of the IRS. Section 5 "No part of the net earnings of the corporation shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributable to, its shareholders, Board of Directors, officers, or other private persons ...". Sec. 6 "Upon the dissolution of the corporation, the Board of Directors shall, after paying or making provision for the payment of all of the liabilities of the corporation, dispose of all of the assets thereof exclusively for charitable, educational, religious or scientific purposes ...".
Brief overview of the Providence Athenaeum Constitution & By-Laws:

  • 1836 -- When the "Providence Library Company" founded 1753 and the "Providence Athenaeum" founded 1831 dissolved their corporations, a new corporation known as the "Athenaeum" was founded and a new Constitution and By-Laws were written.
  • 1836 -- Constitution & By-Laws (2 documents)
  • 1909 -- Constitution & By-Laws amended (2 documents)
  • 1974 -- Constitution & By-Laws amended (2 documents)
  • 1985 -- Constitution & By-Laws amended (Board merged the two documents into one known as "By-Laws")
  • 1992 -- By-Laws amended (Article VI, Sec. 1 Board of Directors; Article VII, Sec. 1 Officers; Article IX Nominating Committee).
  • 1997 -- By-Laws amended (Terminology changed from "share" and "Shareholder" to "membership" and "member").
  • 2000 -- By-Laws amended (Article V, Sec. 1 Annual meeting; Article V, Sec. 4 Quorum; Article V, Sec. 5 Voting; Article XI, Sec. 4 Parliamentary Authority).
Sources:
  • Providence Athenæum website and Wikipedia article viewed online June 28, 2018.
  • Charter, Constitutions & By-Laws, 1831-2000 : Providence Athenaeum Archivist's Notebook, ca. 2000.

Access & Use

Access to the collection: Open to public research. Materials are available by prior appointment that requires 24-hour advance notice.
Use of the materials: It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances. Researchers seeking to publish materials should complete an Application to Publish Library Materials available through written request to info@provath.org
Preferred citation: Providence Athenaeum charters, constitutions, by-laws, and amendments, Arch-003, Providence Athenaeum.
Contact information: Providence Athenaeum
251 Benefit Street
Providence, RI, 02903
Tel: 401-421-6970
email: info@provath.org
website: www.provath.org

Administrative Information

ABOUT THE COLLECTION  
Accruals: Additional materials are expected for this collection.
ABOUT THE FINDING AID  
Author: Finding aid written by Sarah Shaw, January 2019.
Encoding: Encoded using Oxygen XML Editor 2019-01-03
Descriptive rules: Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS)

Additional Information

Inventory

Archives Closet 1, Box 2, Folder 7 Acts of Incorporation, February 15, 1836
 1836
Archives Closet 2, Box 1, Folder 3 Charter, Constitution, and By-Laws of The Athenaeum
Contents Note: Publication statement: Prov., Knowles, Vose & Co., 1836.

 1836
Archives Closet 4, Shelf 1, Item 6 Charter, Constitution, and By-Laws
Contents Note: Bound in: Providence Athenaeum documents 1831-1894, a bound compendium of published documents, catalogues and supplements ... Francis Wayland address of 1838.

 1836
Archives Closet 2, Box 1, Folder 4 Constitutions, By-Laws, Regulations and Acts of Incorporation of the Providence Library Company, Providence Athenaeum and The Providence Athenaeum from 1753.
Contents Note: Bound in a volume comprised of 3 sections, with manuscript title page "The Providence Athenaeum, 1899" and spine title "Athenaeum Constitutions, By-Laws, and Regulations from 1753". Pencilled call number: 027.2 P94C; the volume is date stamped Feb 25 1899. The bound volume includes materials from the Providence Library Company and the Providence Athenaeum established 1831 (in 1st section), and the Providence Athenaeum established 1836 (in 2nd section). At the end is a 3th section of additional blank pages for pasting in future documents.

Providence Athenaeum materials (2nd section of the compilation) is comprised of excerpted pages from various printed documents published by the Providence Athenaeum incorporated 1836 (named "The Athenaeum" until 1850):
  • 1836 Charter, Constitution, and By-Laws of The Athenaeum incorporated January 1836. Providence: printed by Knowles, Vose & Co., 1836 (16 pages).
  • 1837 Appendix : Extracts from the Library Regulations as Amended (page 15 from the 1837 Catalogue).
  • 1839 Appendix : Extracts from the Library Regulations as Amended (page [108] from the 1839 First supplementary catalogue.
  • 1852 Charter, Constitution, and By-Laws of the Providence Athenaeum. Providence: Knowles, Anthony & Co., printers, 1852 (12 pages).
  • 1861 Charter, Constitution, and By-Laws with 1837, 1850, and 1853 amendments and alterations (Pages [i]-xiv extracted from the "First Supplementary Catalogue of the Library of The Providence Athenaeum" published 1861 in Providence by Knowles, Anthony & Co., printers).
  • 1884 Charter, Constitution, By-Laws with 1837, 1850, and 1853 amendments and alterations, and Resolutions passed by the Board of Directors of the Providence Athenaeum December 4th, 1882 (10 pages extracted from the 49th Annual Report dated September 22, 1884).
  • 1888 By-Laws (5 pages extracted from the 53rd Annual Report dated September 24, 1888).
  • 1892 Regulations of the Library (4 pages extracted from the 57th Annual Report dated September 26, 1892).
  • 1895 Constitution and By-Laws adopted by the Corporation September 1895, and Regulations approved by the Corporation and adopted by the Board of Directors October 7, 1895 (pages [24]-33 extracted from the 60th Annual Report dated September 23, 1895).
  • 1909 Constitution, By-Laws, Regulations as amended September 27, 1909 (p. [26]-37 extracted presumably from a printed copy of the 1909 Annual Report and pasted into the compilation post-1899.


 1836-1909
Archives Closet 2, Box 22, Folder 8 Rules and Regulations, 1850, 1856, 1857, 1915-1918
Contents Note: Rules and regulations for building usage.

 1850-1918
Archives Closet 2, Box 1, Folder 3 Charter, Constitution, and By-Laws of The Providence Athenaeum
Contents Note: Publication statement: Prov., Knowles, Anthony & Co., 1852.

 1852
Archives Closet 2, Box 22, Folder 8 Athenaeum By-Laws, 1852
 1852
Archives Closet 4, Shelf 1, Item 4 Charter, Constitution, and By-Laws of The Institution
Contents Note: Bound with: Catalog of the Library of The Providence Athenaeum, to which are affixed the Charter, Constitution, and By-Laws of the Institution.

Publication statement for the full bound item: Providence, Knowles, Anthony and Co., 1852. 466 pages. Omits historical survey in 1853 edition.

 1852
Archives Closet 4, Shelf 1, Item 6 Charter, Constitution, and By-Laws
Contents Note: Bound in: Providence Athenaeum documents 1831-1894, a bound compendium of published documents, catalogues and supplements. Also includes the Francis Wayland address of 1838.

 1852
Archives Closet 6, Shelf 1, Item 2 Athenaeum's Charter, Constitution, and By-Laws, 1852.
Contents Note: Bound with: An historical sketch [of the Athenaeum].

Title on spine reads: History of the Providence Athenaeum 1836-1853. Publication statement: Providence, Knowles, Anthony & Co., 1853.

 1853
Archives Closet 2, Box 1, Folder 5 Charter amended
 1974
Archives Closet 2, Box 1, Folder 6 Constitution & By-Laws merged
 1985
Archives Office Charter, Constitutions & By-Laws, 1831-2000 : Providence Athenaeum Archivist's Notebook
Contents Note: A photocopied compilation of Providence Athenaeum governance documents dating 1831-2000 (charters, constitutions, by-laws, and amendments), for both the 1831 and 1836 Athenaeums, gathered from various sources (legal documents, annual reports, correspondence, and separately published material).

 circa 2000