Albright Memorial Library's Musee de Cluny design

The Albright Memorial Library on Vine Street in Scranton is an architectural landmark built to mirror the Musee de Cluny in Paris. The exterior of the building was constructed using Indiana limestone and Medina stone, with Spanish tiles on the roof. These materials were chosen at the request of John Albright to achieve the desired aesthetic for the historic public library.

The library was built between June 1891 and May 1893 on land donated by the children of Joseph J. Albright. It opened in May 1893 with a collection of 10,600 volumes. During World War II, the library participated in the Victory Book Campaign, even installing a direct telephone line to facilitate the donation of books to soldiers fighting overseas.

The interior features intricate oak wood and three fireplaces made of Italian marble on the first floor. The second floor contains Mycenaean marble pillars that surrounded the original overlook into the circulation department, featuring intricate wood designs on the original railing. Today, sections of that original railing are displayed on a wall in the Reference Section.

The grounds were originally designed by landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted. In 2001, the gardens were restored to the original Olmsted design using a mix of modern aesthetics and the original plans. Today, the library remains open to the public, providing access to books, DVDs, and computer services.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons