public library

American  

noun

public libraries plural

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

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• public libraries
  plural

Etymology

Origin of public library

First recorded in 1605–15

Example Sentences

There is a sprawling playground and a public library.

From Barron's • Jun. 18, 2026

Nisenbaum produced a 70-foot-long mural to hang in the Chicago public library branch on site.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 16, 2026

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 • Feb. 17, 2026

I turned onto 48th Street at Budlong Avenue and was stunned to see a grand public library, a striking mix of Prairie and Italian Revival architecture.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 22, 2025

“A public library should serve the public,” said Charles Chiltington’s mother on the radio and TV.

From "Mr. Lemoncello's Library Olympics" by Chris Grabenstein