Centuries-old private libraries are bringing modern comfort and awe to book lovers and history buffs in New England.

A man walks by the closed English and American literature Shakespeare and Co. bookstore in Paris, France, Thursday, Nov. 05, 2020. Since sending the email appeal, Whitman says she has been “overwhelmed” by the offers of help Shakespeare and Company has received. Founded by Sylvia Beach in 1919, Shakespeare & Company became a creative hub for expatriate writers including Ernest Hemingway, T.S. Sylvia Whitman looked to the past for a solution to her new problem. A lot of expats had to leave Paris, as it was too expensive, so she and her friends set up a Friends of Shakespeare and Company,” Whitman said.