Dear Colleagues, 

Earlier this week, shareholders of the Library Company of Philadelphia met to vote on a potential merger with Temple University, and we are pleased to share that the overwhelming majority of the 200-plus shareholders who took part in this process voted in favor of the merger. Then, earlier this afternoon, the Executive Committee of Temple’s Board of Trustees voted to approve the affiliation. Temple and the Library Company will now seek approval from the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General and Philadelphia Orphans’ Court to finalize the merger. 

For both the Library Company and Temple University, this is a tremendously exciting day. As we previously shared, this is a win-win for both organizations. Founded by Benjamin Franklin in 1731, the Library Company is an iconic and historic Philadelphia institution, and this merger provides a path forward to preserve its history, culture and mission. 

Similarly, Temple Libraries has long been regarded as one of the top university research libraries in North America, but today, it has grown even stronger. The Temple community will now have access to what is certainly one of the most significant collections of 17th-, 18th- and 19th-century books, manuscripts and graphics in the country. The opportunities for teaching, research and scholarship are endless, and it is our students, faculty as well as the Library Company’s members and users who will ultimately benefit. 

Over the coming months, we will work to integrate the Library Company into the university, and as part of this process, we will be forming an integration council composed of representatives from both the university and the Library Company. Rest assured that Temple will do all it can to preserve the historical character of the Library Company. 

We invite you to learn more about the affiliation between Temple and the Library Company in this Temple Now piece. We hope you will join us in celebrating the unification of two of Philadelphia’s most historic and impactful institutions. 

Sincerely, 

John Fry 
President

John Van Horne 
Director, the Library Company of Philadelphia 

Joe Lucia 
Dean, Temple University Libraries