Membership Facts

Membership at the Boston Athenæum is open to everyone who completes an application and provides references.  The application process is easy: please complete an online application or print out an application and mail it to us. See below for more information about membership at the Athenæum: What’s New in Membership What exactly is a membership library? References explained So what about proprietorships?  And how do they differ from regular memberships? What are the benefits of membership? Membership categories and prices Special categories of membership

Excerpt from an interview with Erna Lawrence, Athenæum member since 2002.

What do you tell people when you are encouraging them to join the Library?

We just tell people how much we enjoy our time here.  We belong to a lot of organizations in Boston, but this is by far our favorite.  We can walk here, and it’s like our second home.  And we think our friends and colleagues would really enjoy their experience here, too.  You can’t beat the place.  A friend of mine – a woman who was spending a lot of time at the Athenæum, writing a book – told me a great story awhile back.  This woman said that when she dies and reaches the pearly gates of heaven, she’s going to look around, take in the scenery, and say, “well, it’s ok, but it can’t hold a candle to the Athenæum’s fifth floor reading room.”  I thought that was a perfect commentary on how inspiring this place can be.  And I think everyone should come and reap all the benefits that the Athenæum has to offer.

What is a membership Library?

The Boston Athenæum is a membership library for use by its members, and also by scholars and researchers for short and long term projects. It is one of the oldest and largest membership libraries in the country.

Membership at the Athenæum has sometimes seemed shrouded in mystery.  Because the original corporate structure of the Library was based on a set of “shares,” or “proprietorships,” and because these proprietorships are often handed down from generation to generation in the same families, it is often believed that membership is closed to those who are not part of this lineage. 

In fact, from the time the Library was incorporated in 1807, membership has always been open to those who wish to use our collections and “enjoy the humanity of books.”  The number of proprietorships will always remain the same – 1,049 by charter of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts – but there is no limit to the number of individual and household memberships.  We currently have roughly 5,000 memberships at the Library, including shares; this represents about 7,000 members, since some memberships include extra library cards for family members. 

Because membership dues are paid in exchange for the use of the Library, they are not tax deductible; membership revenue comprises roughly 20% of the Athenæum’s total operating budget, so we always encourage members to make up the difference by giving to the Annual Fund.  Gifts to the Annual Fund are fully tax deductible.

What is this business about membership applications and references?

Membership is granted through an application process that includes a simple reference call; during this call we ask a single question: given the priceless nature of our collections, will this prospective member take special care of our collections, particularly with the books that s/he borrows from the Library?  Your references do not have to be proprietors or members.

So what about proprietorships?  And how do they differ from regular memberships?

The original founders of the Athenæum issued shares, the revenue from which helped them build the collections, host art exhibitions, and purchase the building in which the Library currently resides. Proprietors elect trustees and officers during the Annual Meeting that is held every year in February.  Proprietors may also purchase guest memberships for their friends and family (Life Members also enjoy this privilege; see below).  Because shares are often handed down from generation to generation, there are a very limited number of them available for purchase.  Granting of proprietorships when they become available is at the Director’s discretion, and criteria usually include the level of overall engagement with the Library, and the ongoing financial support of its operations, including the Annual Fund.

What are the benefits of membership?

All members of the Boston Athenæum enjoy unlimited access to our splendid building, the privilege of borrowing books, the use of reference and book mailing services and access to special collections. Members receive invitations to Athenæum events, which include lectures and book signings, art exhibitions, musical events, and children's programs; they also receive mailings of the monthly e-newsletter, and discounts on many items in the bookstore.  More importantly, they benefit from the knowledge that they are a part of one of the oldest and most distinguished cultural organizations in Boston, and join the ranks of past members such as John Quincy Adams, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Amy Lowell, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Daniel Webster, and Lydia Maria Child.

Membership Categories and Prices

The following fees are paid annually:

Family Memberships (both Associate-level and regular) also provide the additional benefit of including everyone living in your household. We can create library cards for children of all ages, and even caregivers who might accompany your children to the Library.

Processing time for new memberships is about one week. The Membership Office is always happy to mail an application and informational packet to you or someone you know who might be interested in joining. Applications can also be completely filled out and submitted online.

Special Categories of Membership

In addition to the categories listed above, the Athenæum offers other memberships to specific constituencies. Please call the Membership Office for more details on these mem­berships; contact Karen E. Beach, Assistant Director of Advancement, at 617-720-7641.

Institutional Memberships: $500 Annually. The Institutional Membership was estab­lished in 2008 for organizations – both non-profit and for-profit – that would like to forge a partnership with the Boston Athenæum. The annual fee of $500 includes three Individual Memberships to be given to three employees or affiliates of the institution.  Read more about Institutional Memberships.

Life Memberships: $290 annually, plus a one-time $1,000 tax-deductible donation. Life Members help sustain the growth of the Library by giving Guest Memberships to friends, colleagues, and family members at the reduced rates of $85 (individuals) and $170 (fami­lies). Life Members may also issue complimentary 30-day memberships to out-of-town visitors at no cost.

Associate Life Memberships (for members under the age of 41): $175 annually, plus a one-time $1,000 tax-deductible donation. This membership allows younger members to pay discounted Associate rates until they reach the age of 41, while receiving the benefits of Life Membership. Regular rates apply after the age of 41.

Gift Memberships: Gift Memberships (available in any category level) are appropriate for any occasion – birthdays, graduations, retirement, etc.)  Print out an application.

Membership applications should be mailed to

   Karen E. Beach, Assistant Director of Advancement
   The Boston Athenæum
   10 ½ Beacon Street
   Boston, Massachusetts 02108

Call Karen E. Beach, Associate Director of Advancement in the Membership Office at 617-720-7641 for more information about membership.