First Library Patrons

From what we can tell, this photograph, which is part of the From Lace Makers to Coal Miners collection, dates from 1893 when the Albright Memorial Library was first opened to the public. On the back of the photo are the names Stanley Sassiewicz and Shenko Patnovich. We cannot confirm that these were indeed the first patrons and if the names are even correct, but it is interesting to note that the names are Eastern European in nature. These ethnic groups were not widely represented in the power struture of Scranton at the time, and the inclusion of the names, whether staged or genuine, demonstrate how the library was intended to serve everyone regardless of class and ethnicity.