public library

noun

1. a nonprofit library established for the use of the general public and maintained chiefly by public funds.

Word History and Origins

Origin of public library¹

First recorded in 1605–15

Example Sentences

San Francisco Police said the shooting took place at 4:51 p.m. across from City Hall and near the city’s main public library branch.

From Los Angeles Times

To be fair, that part of story comes after the premiere’s cold open, when Dominick’s twin brother Thomas chops off his own hand in a public library.

From Salon

For more than a decade I have served on the board of trustees of the public library in the progressive town where I live and work.

From Salon

With the county public library due to move in later this year, the university says the building will become a hub not just for students, but also for local charities, businesses and the wider community.

From BBC

I asked her if she had ever worked at a public library as an alternative, and she said that she “honestly hadn’t even considered that.”

From Salon