public library

American  

noun

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

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Etymology

Origin of public library

First recorded in 1605–15

Example Sentences

In 1960, he was arrested with seven other students after a silent demonstration in a whites-only public library, which led to the desegregation of the library.

From BBC

Over the following decades Wiseman entered high schools, hospitals, army training camps, meat factories and public libraries to explore America's institutions, incidentally producing rich studies of human behavior.

From Barron's

Sam was at the public library with his sister and his mother late one afternoon.

From Literature

She was able to check out a laptop from the public library for three weeks.

From Literature

He pulled out a chair for Coal and clicked through to the public library’s database.

From Literature