Athenaeum Keeper | Portsmouth Athenaeum

A Letter from Tom Hardiman, Keeper and Executive Director

by Portsmouth Athenaeum | Jun 4, 2026 | Announcements

By Keeper and Executive Director Tom Hardiman Many of you have already learned of my decision to take early retirement, effective July 31, after 26 years as your Keeper and Executive Director. We have achieved great things together, including the launch of our...

Membership Libraries Group Takes Manhattan

by Portsmouth Athenaeum | Oct 23, 2025 | Announcements

By Keeper and Executive Director Tom Hardiman On October 15-17 the New York Society Library (founded in 1754) hosted the 36th meeting of the Membership Libraries Group, an organization established to foster communication among the remaining membership libraries in...

A Little Extra Love from Libraries

by Portsmouth Athenaeum | Mar 27, 2025 | Announcements

By Keeper and Executive Director Tom Hardiman I am a life-long library lover and have now reached an age when I think I have literally spent half my life in a library of some kind. A few years ago, my lovely wife bought me a new wallet for Christmas. As I was cleaning...

2024 Report of the Keeper and Executive Director

by Portsmouth Athenaeum | Jan 31, 2025 | Announcements

Tom Hardiman, Keeper & Executive Director For many years now I have reported that the past year was remarkably successful, but the coming year looks precarious. For once, I am going to tempt fate and report that last year was remarkably successful and the coming...

A Little Help from Our Friends

by Portsmouth Athenaeum | Sep 1, 2023 | Announcements

By Tom Hardiman, Keeper & Executive Director If you have not seen the current exhibit in the Randall Gallery, Peace, Love, and Portsmouth, Celebrating the City’s Cultural Renaissance Through the Lens of J. D. Lincoln, you are missing a real treat. Exhibit...