This blog represents a collection of postcards that focuses on libraries in the United States and throughout the world.
Thursday, June 28, 2012
1949 New Public Library, Toms River, New Jersey
[LIB0069]
1910 Public Library, Springfield, Massachusetts
[LIB0068]
Public Free Library, British Guiana, South America
Labels:
British Guiana,
Carnegie library,
library,
South America
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
1913 Hart Memorial Library, Troy, New York
[LIB6653] - The building opened on May 12, 1897 with appropriate ceremony and fanfare. Unfortunately, needed operating support did not match the grandeur of the new library. Mary E. hart presented the sum of $5,000 on the condition that if another $45,000 was raised, she would contribute an additional $5,000. The necessary funds were never raised and under the special conditions of the gift, the original $5,000 reverted to her estate. In 1903 the Trustees voted to change the name of the institution from the Hart Memorial Library to the Troy Public Library in hopes of attracting municipal funding. In 1904 the city of Troy appropriated $2,500 toward the operation of the library, all of which went to pay off a deficit. [Read more about this library] The building, having undergone extensive restoration, is still in use as a public library.
This panoramic view of the city of Troy, New York was originally produced by Beck & Pauli in 1881. The map identifies the street names and shows the buildings in Troy more than a century ago. The printed detail is outstanding.
1940 Steele Memorial Carnegie Library, Elmira, New York
[LIB6652] - Esther Steele wasn't content just to build a building. Records indicate that a majority of the 6,779 volumes came from the Steele's personal library on W. Clinton St. Further, she recognized the need for a professionally trained librarian to maintain it and recruited her niece, Kate Deane Andrew to be it - but not before asking the Chancellor of Syracuse University to design a training program for Kate and having her spend two years in it. Kate began work in the Steele library in 1900 and retired in 1940! [Read more of the history of this library]
1907 Nesmith Library, Windham, New Hampshire
[LIB6651] - The Nesmith Library collection was created with the assistance of Col. Thomas Nesmith and was housed in the Town Hall until 1899 when the current field stone building was built by George W. Armstrong. See a digitized form of the Dedication Exercises of Armstrong Building from 1899, click here.
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