Robbins Library
🏢 Minuteman Library Network · Arlington, Massachusetts
Robbins Library
Arlington's grand 1892 library, a gift from Maria C. Robbins in memory of her husband Eli, still anchors Massachusetts Avenue with an Italian Renaissance reading room of marble mosaic floors and gold-leaf arches — and stays open until 9 p.m. Monday through Wednesday.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 9am–9pm |
| Tuesday | 9am–9pm |
| Wednesday | 9am–9pm |
| Thursday | 1pm–9pm |
| Friday | 9am–5pm |
| Saturday | 9am–5pm |
| Sunday | 2pm–5pm |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 700 Massachusetts Avenue, Arlington, MA 02476
Phone: (781) 316-3200
Website: robbinslibrary.org
Plus Code: 87JCCR8V+7W (Arlington, MA)
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📖 About Robbins Library
The Robbins Library is the main public library of Arlington, Massachusetts, a dense town of nearly 46,000 people just northwest of Cambridge. It was dedicated on November 29, 1892 as a gift to the town from Maria C. Robbins in memory of her husband, Eli Robbins; the architects Cabot, Everett & Mead chose an Italian Renaissance design and modeled the formal front entrance on the Cancelleria Palace in Rome. The building's Reading Room — with marble mosaic flooring, antique oak walls, marble columns and gilded ornamental arches — remains one of the region's most striking library interiors and can be rented for events. Robbins is the larger of Arlington's two public libraries; the Edith M. Fox Branch on Massachusetts Avenue in East Arlington, established in 1916, serves that end of town. Both belong to the Minuteman Library Network, so an Arlington card borrows across dozens of member libraries in Greater Boston.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Dedicated in 1892, an Italian Renaissance landmark whose entrance is modeled on Rome's Cancelleria Palace
- Restored Reading Room with marble mosaic floors, oak walls, marble columns and gold-leaf arches — available for event rentals
- Open late until 9 p.m. Monday through Wednesday for evening study and after-work visits
- Part of the Minuteman Library Network — one Arlington card borrows across 40+ Greater Boston libraries
- Second location, the Edith M. Fox Branch (est. 1916), serves East Arlington
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Arlington cardholders can stream, download and research free through the Minuteman Network and Massachusetts statewide collections:
📚 Services
- Borrowing across the Minuteman Library Network shared catalog
- Reading Room & lobby available for event rentals
- Public computers, printing & free Wi-Fi
- Meeting and study spaces
- Children's and teen collections and spaces
- Museum and cultural passes for cardholders
- Interlibrary loan and holds delivered from member libraries
🎸 Programs
- Children's storytimes
- Summer reading program
- Author talks and community events
- Teen programs and clubs
- Year-round programming for all ages
📍 Nearby Libraries in Greater Boston
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
All libraries in Arlington · Browse all Massachusetts libraries →
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Robbins Library open on Sundays?
Robbins Library is open on Sundays only during the October–May season, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. It is closed on Sundays through the summer and early fall (roughly June through September).
How do the summer hours differ at Robbins Library?
From July 1 through August 31 the weekday schedule is the same — Monday–Wednesday 9 a.m.–9 p.m. and Thursday 1 p.m.–9 p.m. — but Friday is 9 a.m.–5 p.m., Saturday shortens to 9 a.m.–12 p.m., and Sunday is closed. The rest of the year (September 1–June 30) Friday and Saturday run 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
What is special about the Robbins Library building?
Dedicated in 1892 as a gift from Maria C. Robbins in memory of her husband Eli, the library was designed by Cabot, Everett & Mead in an Italian Renaissance style, with the front entrance modeled on the Cancelleria Palace in Rome. Its Reading Room features marble mosaic floors, antique oak walls, marble columns and gold-leaf arches, and can be rented for special events.
Does Arlington have a second library branch?
Yes. Besides the main Robbins Library at 700 Massachusetts Avenue in Arlington center, the town runs the Edith M. Fox Branch at 175 Massachusetts Avenue in East Arlington, established in 1916. Both are part of the Minuteman Library Network.
🎨 This library lends museum passes. See how library museum passes work and find other libraries that lend passes museum passes by state.
🖨 This library offers printing, copying & fax. See how library printing, copying, scanning and fax services work — costs and mobile printing — and find other libraries that offer them printing & fax by state.
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✓ Hours & details last verified from official sources in September 2026.
