Building of the Day

The Institute Library is a membership library in downtown New Haven, constructed of brick and stone in a Queen Anne style matching much of its block on Chapel Street. The facade is achieved by the building’s cornice, fine brickwork, and ornamented windows. An extension was added in 1910 out the rear of the building to facilitate the library's growing needs and usage. Both the original building and the extension have suffered mild water damage due to an aged, inadequate roof, but the exterior of the building remains in good condition. The library services New Haven through both its circulation department and the variety of community events it hosts.

The Institute Library’s Queen Anne style is emphasized by ornamental brickwork, stone arches outlining the windows, a wood cornice, and steps leading up to a sunken entryway. Tuscan columns divide pairs of windows on the third story of the building, with floral decor placed over each window on the third story and the attic. In both the 1878 original building and the 1910 extension, there is substantial water damage to the interior walls, causing cracking, bubbling behind the plaster, and peeling paint. These issues also apply to the ceiling; the cause of which is an aged roof in need of replacement. In addition, the attic has a number of missing or broken floorboards. The exterior of the building is in better condition than the interior; the brick and cornice are both in good shape, and look as though they have been recently painted and are kept clean. However, there is one window on the attic level which is smashed and covered, and a second window which has a hole approximately a foot in diameter.

Founded in 1826, the Institute Library’s humble beginnings were formed by a group of young men in New Haven who met to discuss, debate, and collect literary sources (3). As their activities caught the attention of the public, increased financial support and membership led to the official founding of the New Haven Young Men’s Institute in 1841, and the site for the Institute Library was constructed in 1878 (1, 2, 3). As physical libraries have suffered due to the rise of electronic information, the Institute Library has successfully rebranded itself as a venue for social gatherings, hosting a variety of events from book launches to private parties to an LGBTQ+ youth group, as well as being the gathering place for the New Haven Review. The library still maintains a large circulation of fiction and non-fiction material, hosts a complete collection of the New Haven Directory back to 1854, and is Connecticut’s oldest remaining membership library (3). Despite the many positive community contributions of the library, its relationship to the city and to the New Haven Public Library in particular is somewhat complex. Some have questioned the decision to allocate state funding to a private library at a time where the New Haven Public Library, which serves far more patrons, is also struggling financially [9]. Despite its recent struggles with funding, the Institute Library remains an important space for community gathering and unique programming.