Providence Athenaeum Sustainable Environmental Control

FAIN: PF-280699-21

Providence Athenaeum (Providence, RI 02903-2709)
Matthew Burriesci (Project Director: January 2021 to present)

The purchase of a new climate control system for the Providence Athenaeum, which houses both circulating and special collections of rare books, pamphlets, and works of art, some of which date to the library’s origins in 1753.

The Providence Athenaeum seeks an implementation grant of $350,000 to install a new climate control system to improve environmental conditions, mitigate serious risks to the collections, and improve sustainability and resiliency. The Athenaeum is proceeding after careful consideration and after conducting numerous studies and investigations, including a series of recommendations issued in the wake of a successful NEH planning grant in 2017/2018. The installation of a new climate control system has been identified as a key strategic objective, and it is instrumental to our long-term preservation needs.