In February of 1915, the organization known as the "Children's Library Helpers" met and the library needs of the city were carefully studied. It was decided that the most feasible location would be in Elmwood and in the vicinity of Rochambeau Avenue. The movement met with such hearty and enthusiastic support from the local community that the establishment of a local library was almost a foregone conclusion. Rochambeau was opened on July 6th, 1915 in the Rochambeau Avenue School building with 842 books and was immediately made into a branch of the Providence Public Library.
The Elmwood Public Library Association was formed in 1916, whereas the Knight Memorial. Library came into existence as a private enterprise, thus taking care of the Elmwood section.
The opening of this library in the Rochambeau Avenue School was made possible by a noteworthy gift of $665.27, which was received from the Monday Morning Musical Club, in memory of the young child, whose death saddened so many of her friends, and in memory of whom the library was called the "Elodie Farnum Memorial Library."
Elodie Farnum, the only child of Mr. & Mrs. H. Cyrus Farnum was born on Bridgham Street on February 18, 1902. Her father, H. Cyrus Farnum, was a well-known artist and her mother, Alice Leigh Farnum, a talented pianist. Miss Farnum never attended school but was taught by private tutors.
At the age of 7 she began the study of the violin and quickly showed so much talent that teachers ware amazed. Mrs. Henry Eichheim of Boston, her teacher for three years, did not hesitate to predict a most brilliant career for her as a violinist. Several years prior, the Monday Morning Musical Club of Providence became so interested in her --- that it began the Elodie Farnum Scholarship Fund to send their "Littlest Member" abroad for study with some famous master of the Violin when the time was right. The fund as planned was incomplete, but steadily growing. And then, in May of 1914, Elodie passed away at the age of 12 years from tuberculosis of the brain.
With this fund ($665.27) it was unanimously decided that it be donated to the Public Library, to establish the Elodie Farnum memorial Library in the Rochambeau Avenue School. The trustees of the library in accepting the gift promised to make the collection of books bearing the child's name a permanent one, each volume to have a special memorial bookplate and to be replaced as soon as it might be worn out. Two thousand copies of the bookplate were by the Monday Morning Musical Club and were struck up from a design made by Mr. Farnum.
With the $665.27 donated by the Monday Morning Musical Club, books, furniture and fittings were purchased. Additional gifts from the parents of the child and from others, made it possible to administer the library.
Not content with their efforts, the Children's Library Helpers turned over to this Library for distribution the sum of $693.13, the net proceeds of a concert on November 16, 1915, half of which went to the Elodie Farnum Memorial Library and the remainder divided among the various "children's libraries" in which the Providence Public Library had an interest.
The first librarian at the Elodie Farnum Memorial Library (Rochambeau) was Miss E. Jessica Whitford.
Circulation from July 6, 1915 till the end of December 1915 was 7,586. At the end of it's second year (1916) Rochambeau showed a circulation of 12,993 volumes! The library was opened from 2:30 to 5:30 on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. On August 2, 1919, an extension of hours was made, the branch was open on every afternoon in the week, except Saturdays and Sundays.
In 1924, the Grammar School that housed the Elodie Farnum Memorial Library was moved to a new location on Summit Avenue and accordingly, on September 5, 1924 the library was opened to the public in quarters more than twice as large as the former cramped quarters. With longer hours of opening, 3-9 p.m. on Monday, Weds. , and Fri.; and from 3-6 p.m. on Tues., Thurs., and Sat., it now had an opportunity to supply tables, etc., for a reading room. On September 14, 1925, Miss E. Jessica Whitford, was transferred to the Washington Park locality. Miss Whitford was succeeded by Miss Ruth Shattuck. In 1926, books on shelf totalled 5,090 volumes and circulation was 52,424. Miss Shattuck had been assisted in the work at this branch by Miss Florence S. Higgins. In August of 1928, Miss Shattuck was transferred to the Tockwotton Branch and was succeeded by Mildred F. Chase (Acting Branch Librarian).
In 1929, the Monday Morning Musical Club decided to make a gift of its own most valuable library of music, provided it could be appropriately housed. It was decided to place this collection and a piano, also a gift of the Club, in a third floor sound-proof room at the Central Library.
Under the joint auspices of the Rochambeau-Summit Avenue Parent Teachers Association and the Monday Morning Musical Club, a Library Night was held on February 11, 1929 in the Auditorium of the Summit Avenue School. Members of the Monday Morning Musical Club provided a musical program and there were addresses on the branch library and the need for a new building. The opening of the Library in the sessions Junior High School had begun to affect the scope of this branch's influence in territory which had in the past been theirs. However, the assurance of a new and permanent home for the Elodie Farnum Memorial Library, plans for which were nearly completed, would provide the branch with the equipment necessary to expand .
The branch suffered a loss in the death of Florence S. Higgins, Assistant, in August of 1929. She was succeeded by Miss Marjorie G. Forsyth, who was transferred from Tockwotton.
A site for the new branch was secured in November 1929 on land at the corner of Hope Street and Langham Road, deeded to the library by Martha J. O'Brien and Michael J. Hayes, and plans began immediately. The cost was estimated at $75,000 and the building would be of Rhode Island Colonial Architecture. It was decided to name the building Rochambeau Branch in view of the policy that the Board of Trustees had adopted to designate each new library building by a name which had special significance in that community. To perpetuate the name of the present branch library they decided to designate the children's room in the new branch as the Elodie Farnum Memorial Children's Room.
Rochambeau Branch was the fourth branch in what was planned to be a city-wide system of seven branches.
A grateful community turned out on November 17,1 1930 to celebrate the grand opening of the new Rochambeau Branch. Mayor Dunne declared the l.ibrary "one of the finest of its size anywhere in the country.'' The opening celebration was held from 8-10 p.m.
The dimensions of the building are 75 ft. front; 67 ft. deep. The building is constructed of Harvard brick with limestone trimming. There is open shelving for about 12,000 books and seats 78 readers. The interior finish is of dark oak and the furniture of the same materials, built especially for the building. on the main floor are the reading rooms for adults and children, the Reference Room and Librarian's Office. In the basement there is a Community Room seating about 100, a Conference Room for small group meetings, a Book Storage Room with shelving for 10,000 books, Staff Rest Room, public toilets and the heating room.
The total cost was approximately $78,000 to build the branch, which included construction, equipment, furniture, architect and supervisor. The firm of Howe and Church prepared the plans for the building and the general contractors were O. D. Purington & Co.
The first day the new building was open for service, 1,018 books were issued. Hours of service were 3-9 p.m., Monday through Friday; and on Saturday from 9-9. In 1933, Rochambeau was leading all branches in the lending of books, 129,056!
A Neighborhood Advisory Committee was organized in the Spring of 1935 comprising of Mrs. Charles R. Haslam, Chairman; Mrs. Ralph W. Eaton, Miss Mary E. McKenna, Mr. Donald G. Clark and the Branch Librarian. Under their auspices, a series of lecture-discussions in the Community Room was started.
Miss Marjorie G. Forsyth, Ass't. Librarian, resigned in August of 1937 successor was Miss Catherine A. Lowe.
When Rochambeau and So. Providence Branch Libraries closed their doors after the day's work on Saturday, September 2, 1939, they remained closed and inactive for three months until necessary and financial arrangements could be made with the Mayor and Council of the City of Providence. The residents of the sections served by these branches went into action. Through the efforts of the Branch Advisory Committee's Parent-Teachers Association, other groups and many individuals, protests in the form of resolutions and petitions were prepared and presented to the Mayor, City council, City Finance Committee and the Library Trustees. It was estimated that more than 5,000 different individuals joined in this movement.
As a result, the City Council increased the Library's appropriation for the City's fiscal year beginning October lst by $12,500, which, together with the amount saved by closing of the branches, accounted for the total sum required. On December 5, 1939 the Rochambeau Branch was reopened with informal speaking exercises, and two days later, the So. Providence Branch similarly resumed its activities.
The highlight of 1941 was the observance of the 25th Anniversary evening of November 18th with the help of the Branch Neighborhood Advisory Committee and with the cooperation of the Monday Morning Musical Club.
In 1942 Rochambeau was still leading in the issue of books. Circulation was 91,633!
By 1955, Rochambeau was the most active branch where the recorded circulation amounted to 101,201, the first time any branch topped 100,000 since 1940. Hours of operation were extended as follows: Mon., Weds., Fri. I p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and Tues., Thurs, Sat. 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.
In 1958, Rochambeau reported the busiest year since 1942.
By means of a special gift, Mr. William Chafee Sr. in 1962, refurbished staff rooms at Mt. Pleasant, Rochambeau and South Providence.
Mildred F. Chase retired in 1963 and Mrs. Kirby F. Carr replaced her as Librarian, and in 1971, Mrs. Carr was replaced by Margaret M. Deignan. In 1973, Rochambeau and Lippitt Hill Tutorial established a tutorial resource collection at Rochambeau and in November, Margaret M. Deignan was promoted to Supervisor of Branches and Community Services and Jacquelyn Toy (now Cooper) appointed Librarian.
In 1977 Russian language books were made available at the branch for newly arrived Jewish-Russian families and were a real success. The Jewish Family and Children's Service regularly referred Russian speaking persons to 708 Hope Street to find books in their native language.
In September of 1978, shortened hours were in effect due to budget constraints (except for a brief return to full 6 day a week service from 9/79 to 7/81).
In preparation for the 50th Anniversary of the present building, Rochambeau Library Branch Librarian, Jackie Toy-Cooper encouraged interested patrons to establish a Friends group. The Friends began with a group of nine patrons and staff members in February of 1980. Since that time, the Friends group has grown to approximately 180 members. The Friends Group sponsored a Champagne Reception on November 6, 1980 and a Birthday Party/Open House on November 15, 1980 to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Rochambeau. In addition, the Friends honored Miss Mildred F. Chase, one of the Rochambeau branch's first librarians, at a tea in June of 1981.
In April of 1984, Rochambeau Friends matched funds collected in memory of the late Helen Murphy and furnished a reading lounge in the adult room. A ceremony was held and a plaque mounted to dedicate the area to the former staff member.
Also, in 1984, new lighting and carpeting were installed, walls were plastered and painted and the exterior trim was painted.
The Russian Collection was moved from the Central Library to Rochambeau in 1986 because of the ongoing influx of Russian immigrants into that neighborhood.
A new cluster system went into effect in September of 1987 with Knight Memorial, Mt. Pleasant and Rochambeau assuming a large branch role with expanded hours, additional services and responsibility for the smaller branches. Under this reorganization, Jacquelyn Toy-Cooper, Rochambeau Librarian, assumed responsibility for Fox Point and Smith Hill Libraries.
Rotating video collections were added to Rochambeau providing video service to patrons unable to teach the Central Library in 1987. (7ompact discs were added in 1989.
Rochambeau continues to be an actively used community library with an average annual circulation of 140,000 items.