St. John’s Public Libraries

We are the oldest public library in Canada (founded 1883); Free means we were the first library supported by taxes, not private subscriptions; Our Special Collections Room is an authentic recreation of a 19th century Victorian salon; The Ring Collection of Art is the only permanent collection featuring well-known Saint John and New Brunswick artists available free to the public; we have fantastic views of the Saint John Harbour; We offer 215,000 items (from books to skateboards) in 3 branches, and access to the provincial collection of over 1.8 million items.