Carnegie Libraries in Alabama

The Wikipedia list of Carnegie libraries in Alabama provides detailed information on United States Carnegie libraries in Alabama, where 14 public libraries were built from 14 grants (totaling $195,800) awarded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York from 1901 to 1916. In addition, academic libraries were built at 5 institutions (totaling $94,040). Out of 14 public libraries, 4 are no longer standing. [Wikipedia]

Library, Nevada Southern University, Las Vegas, Nevada

[LIB2212] Even before it had a campus, UNLV had a library. The first library was located in a section of the auditorium in Las Vegas High School in 1955 and had no official staff. The collection consisted of 1,800 volumes which had been donated from the University of Nevada, Reno, and from faculty and their friends. [Read more at UNLV Website}

The Hennepin County Library System – connecting past with present

Stepping off the elevator onto the fourth floor of the Minneapolis Central Library, one is hard-pressed to miss the entrance to the Special Collections reading room. Its door is bracketed by a large wooden arch – an architectural fragment from the city's first library building. In the original structure, such a detail would have been unremarkable – just one ornate carving among many. Today, the arch dominates the austere fourth-floor lobby, and draws the eye toward the stacks of reference materials beyond. [Read more here]

1905 Public Library, Houlton, Maine

[LIB2209] On October 12 19o4 the Cary Library Houlton opened its doors to the public with 2ooo books from the Houlton Public Library The Trustees of the Cary Fund purchased 559 books before January 1st 19o5 and 666 persons were registered as borrowers during the same time borrowing 3287 books In 19o5 1221 volumes were added to the Library and 16455 volumes were loaned during that year. [Google Books]

1921 Library, Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts

[LIB2208] Special Collection: Sophia Smith Collection - The Sophia Smith Collection at Smith College is an internationally recognized repository of manuscripts, archives, photographs, periodicals and other primary sources in women's history. It was founded in 1942 to be the library's distinctive contribution to the college's mission of educating women. [Website]

Public Library, Clarksburg, West Virginia

[LIB2182] This handsome southern home known as "Waldomore," and the spacious grounds surrounding it, situated in the heart of Clarksburg, were devised to the city in 1930 by Mrs. May Goff Lowndes for use as a public library and museum. The home was built in 1839 by her father, Waldo P. Goff. The name "Waldomore" was given to the property by Mrs. Lowndes in honor of her father and mother. The city's public library was established in 1907 and has been permanently located in Waldomore since 1931. [From the back of the card]

Section of the Library, Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt, Hyde Park, New York

[LIB2175] National Historic Site.

If civilization is to survive, we must cultivate the science of human relationships - the ability of all peoples, of all kinds, to live together, in the same world at peace. [FDR]

1920 Public Library, Franklin, New Hampshire

[LIB2164] The library has been made richer through the gift of the library of Lucretia Carter Sanborn, containing much valuable historical material and books of local interest. The cataloguing of these books is not completed as yet, but will be during 1913.

This interesting collection was begun by Miss Sanborn's father, Nathaniel Herrick Sanborn, who enjoyed marked success as a merchant for 21 years, and was also the leading spirit in the Franklin Savings Bank, and its treasurer from its foundation in 1870 to the time of his death. The Sanbornton History says of him, "He was a lover of the past, well versed in ancestral and local history, and very favorable to the prosecution of this enterprise of the Sanbornton annals." The books and pamphlets so carefully treasured for many years form a valuable nucleus for a library relating to Franklin history. [Read more here]

The Sanborn descendents of Herbert Nathaniel Sanborn, 1899-1981

2011 The National Library of Belarus

[LIB2002] - A wonderful postcard from one of my Postcrossing friends.

The 23-storey library is designed in the form of a rhombicuboctahedron (diamond) and symbolises the enormous value of knowledge that mankind has stored in books. The building is covered with glass panels and during the day all 24 sides sparkle like a real diamond. Architects Victor Kramarenko and Michael Vinogradov wanted to preserve and convey this vision at night. [Read more at Mondoarc]

Video: The Librarian

I would like to include more videos on the site. If anyone knows of some excellent library videos, architecture, history, etc. let me know and I can post them. I really want videos keeping within the theme of the site. The preferred videos would show the history of a library, something about the architecture, old scenes and views, early 20th century to probably about 1970s.

Johnson Public Library, Hackensack, New Jersey

[LIB1959] Johnson Public Library opened on October 5, 1901. The library was a gift from Mr. William M. Johnson, a state senator who donated land and funded the library's construction.

1896 Hackensack, NJ Birds Eye View Panoramic Map by PaperTimeMachine
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1913 The Library, Broadview, Milford, New Hampshire

[LIB1958] Libraries come in all sizes, from personal libraries, to small hotel, ship, and rest home libraries, to gigantic libraries like the New York Public Library. Whatever the size of the library, inquisitive minds can probably find something of interest.

1886 Milford, NH Birds Eye View Panoramic Map by PaperTimeMachine
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Public Library, Nashua, New Hampshire

[LIB1957] Special Collection: The Hunt Room houses the library's collection of local history materials. The emphasis of the collection is on the history of the Nashua area and of New Hampshire in general.

The library has histories of Nashua, including the history of the mills that developed along the Merrimack and Nashua rivers. Parker's History of Nashua is available both in print and electronically. The Nashua Experience: History in the Making covers the city's history from 1673 to 1978. The Nashua Experience: A Three-Decade Upgrade is the sequel, covering 1978 to 2008. [Website]

1883 Nashua, NH Birds Eye View Panoramic Map by PaperTimeMachine
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Thayer Library, Keene, New Hampshire

[LIB1956] Special Item: A History of the Town of Keene from 1732, when the Township was Granted by Massachusetts, to 1874, when it Became a City by S. G. Griffin, M. A. [Available online as a PDF]

Thompson Covered Bridge Swanzey New Hampshire by JohnBurk1
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1912 The Bronson Library, Waterbury, Connecticut

[LIB1941] Special Collection: U.S. Civil War 1861-1865: Primary Sources at Silas Branson Library, Waterbury, Connecticut -- People from all walks of life recorded their impressions about the Civil War in their diaries, letters, poetry, stories, and songs. Newspapers and magazines covered the war in great detail. Politicians gave speeches about it. Long after the war ended, government agencies at the federal and state level published official reports about the different military campaigns, along with the names of
soldiers on both sides who fought in them. Soldiers, doctors, nurses, and civilians published their memoirs, often with photographs and maps. We have all of these kinds of primary sources at the Bronson Library. Some are part of the regular collection and may be checked out. If the prefix "GE" is in the call number, it is part of the Genealogy and Local History Collection, which is housed on the second floor of the Library. Ask at the Reference Desk for assistance in retrieving materials from the Local History Room. [Website]

Waterbury, Connecticut by a1rnmu74
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Public Library, North Manchester, Indiana

[LIB1935] On April 4, 1912, North Manchester Public Library's 2,300 sq. ft. Carnegie building opened with 1,700 books. The Carnegie building, significant in that it is one of the few libraries built by Andrew Carnegie that featured an auditorium, served as the library through September 1995, basically unchanged. In 1930, the children's department was opened on the second floor, which had been previously used as the auditorium. [Website]

I Love NORTH MANCHESTER Indiana by cityshirt
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Video: Ohio State's Thompson Library: History and Architecture

1912 Public Library, Westfield, New York

[LIB1929] A rear view of the library.

The Patterson Library was a gift given to the residents of Westfield by Hannah Whiting Patterson as a memorial to her late parents, George Washington Patterson and Hannah Dickey Patterson. G.W. Patterson came to Westfield in 1841 to serve as the land agent for the Chautauqua Land Company.

The Patterson Library at 40 South Portage Street opened its doors to the public on July 1, 1897, with 6,320 titles, 5,000 of which were those recommended by the American Library Association Model Library displayed at the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893. A sampling of the original collection is now a part of the library's archives. [Website]

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1913 Library and Nathan Hale Memorial, Huntington, Long Island, New York

[LIB1928] With roots dating back to 1759, Huntington Public Library was one of the first public libraries in Suffolk County. Thirty-nine people joined together to form the first circulating library in Huntington with Reverend Ebenezer Prime as the first “library-keeper”. The library consisted of 115 volumes which were housed in a “box of shelves”. A book could be borrowed for two months but a fine of “one copper per diem” per book was charged. [Website]

Heckscher Park, Huntington, Long Island, New York by wikimania
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1913 Zimmerman Library, Wittenberg College, Springfield, Ohio

[LIB1927] Constructed in 1891 as the university's main library, Zimmerman currently houses the department of psychology, one of Wittenberg's most popular majors. Throughout the years, Zimmerman has undergone several transformations. In the 1920s, the library was running out of space, so the Zimmerman family added an addition to the building. The newer section, constructed in the same grey limestone and in the same style, includes three rectangular windows and a hexagonal tower. In 1957, when Weaver Chapel and Thomas Library were completed, Zimmerman was no longer needed as a library, so work began to transform it for the home economics department. A two-story brick addition to the rear of the structure was part of this conversion. [Website]

Lagonda Agricultural Works by RichardBrowne
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Doane Room, Public Library, Hyannis, Massachusetts

[LIB1926] - From Carol Saunders, librarian: I have been on the HPL staff since 1972 and I do not remember a Doane Room per se. We use, even today, a sea captain's house as part of our library facility (three buildings linked together). The view in the postcard, which we own as well, is in what we call the Hinckley Building which was named in honor of a much-beloved, long-time librarian, Ora Adams Hinckley. Today we have our large print materials and library book shop in four rooms on the ground floor. Our library association was established in 1865. The association purchased the Hinckley Building in 1908, but our town's historical commission dates it circa 1750 (county records were destroyed by a fire).

Thanks Carol!

Hyannis Harbor, Cape Cod by ArtByM
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Library, Catskill, New York

[LIB1925] The Catskill library was founded in 1893 and is currently housed in a 1901 neo-classical building funded through a grant from Andrew Carnegie. The local history collection includes the A. Fred Saunders Hudson River Steamboats. [Website]

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Carnegie Library, Chanute, Kansas

[LIB1904] The Public Library Association was organized with S. W. Brewster as chairman on September 16, 1901. Their purpose was to promote the importance of a public library so that a city levy could be obtained for it’s maintenance. On March 22, 1906, the Carnegie Library Building was dedicated and the Children’s Room opened in January 1928. The library continued to expand with remodeling occurring in 1938 and 1962. Then, on April 17, 1990, announcement was made that the Santa Fe Depot would be renovated to house the Chanute Public Library and the Martin & Osa Johnson Safari Museum, allowing the city to preserve and restore the depot, and provide much needed space for the museum and the library. [Website]

A contemporary photo of this library. Note that the Romanesque style tower (to the left of the entrance) has been removed.

US Postage Stamp - Chanute, Kansas by gregoryolney2
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Public Library, Oskaloosa, Iowa

[LIB1903] The Oskaloosa Public Library opened its doors in 1903. The Oskaloosa Women's Club spearheaded the drive to create a public library for the community. The Carnegie Foundation donated $20,000 for the library's construction, and the library's first book collection came from the YMCA library (which had had a members-only library). [Website]

Oskaloosa by laurenahenley
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1928 Withers Public Library, Bloomington, Illinois

[LIB1902] 1887 Mrs. Sarah B. Withers donates land at the corner of East and Washington streets for a library. A two-story building is erected and christened Withers Library. It is dedicated with speeches and a grand banquet. [Website]

Withers Public Library, Bloomington, Illinois by feedmelinguini
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1909 Wilde Memorial Library, Acton, Massachusetts

[LIB1901] - Nice two view presentation of the library. The black and white postcard is postmarked August 13, 1908 from South Acton. It is addressed to Miss Mabel Thompson, West Townsend, Massachusetts.

The color postcard is postmarked 1909 and is addressed to Michael J. McNamara, Stoughton, Massachusetts.

Special Collection: Acton Memorial Library Civil War Archives -- In 1889, William Allan Wilde, Acton native son and successful Boston publisher, wanted to give something back to his home town. Following the example of Andrew Carnegie, he offered to build a public library. Wilde declined to have the building bear his name because he wanted it to be a memorial to the men of Acton who had served or died in the Civil War. The Acton Memorial Library was dedicated and opened to the public on May 24, 1890.

The building was designed by Boston architects H.W. Hartwell and William G. Richardson. The arched entryway featured two memorial tablets. One gave the names of Acton men who had served, and the other listed the names of those who had given their lives for the Union cause. The interior consisted of two large rooms and a smaller room for the trustees. An elaborate fireplace was the focus of the reading room. In the other large room, behind a gated screen, were the books to be checked out by the librarian. The structure cost $30,000, an enormous sum at the time.

As the years passed, many veterans and their families donated items from their military life to the library's collection in hope they could be displayed. A permanent exhibit, “Not Afraid to Go: Acton’s Part in the Birth and Preservation of Our Nation” was dedicated on Patriots Day, April 19, 2008. [Website]

The Sciences, Kenyon Cox, Library of Congress, Washington, DC

[LIB1893] Kenyon Cox (October 27, 1856 – March 17, 1919) was an American painter, illustrator, muralist, writer, and teacher. Cox was an influential and important early instructor at the Art Students League of New York. [Wikipedia]

Religion, Charles S. Pearce, Library of Congress, Washington, DC

[LIB1890] North Corridor, Great Hall. Religion mural in lunette from the Family and Education series by Charles Sprague Pearce. Library of Congress Thomas Jefferson Building, Washington, D.C.

James Prendergast Free Library, Jamestown, New York

[LIB1888] The James Prendergast Library was a gift to the city from Alexander Prendergast, the city founder's son and his wife, Mary. They commissioned the building in memory of their son, James Prendergast, who died in 1879 at the age of 31. The library was completed at a cost of $60,000 and was furnished with an art gallery at a cost of $45,000. It opened December 1, 1891 and contained 8,666 volumes. [website]

Public Library, Denver, Colorado

[LIB1889] Special Collection: Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library - Denver's Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library, the only library of its kind between Detroit and Oakland, serves as an educational and cultural resource for the people of Denver, Colorado,
and the world, focusing on the history, literature, art, music, religion, and politics of African Americans in Colorado and throughout the Rocky Mountain West. Exhibits highlight areas such as the historic Five Points neighborhood, African Americans in early Denver (including the city's earliest arrivals), the Black West, African American leadership (the Mayor's Office and other distinguished mayors of Denver) and a
gallery of temporary exhibits. The Blair-Caldwell AARL offers full, traditional library services and is housed in a three-story, wheelchair-accessible, 40,000 square foot building. [Website]

11 Most Impressive Libraries from the Ancient World

Very nice website passed along to me by one of my readers. If you are interested in libraries, you will want to take a look. There are also related posts that you can check out. A great quick-look overview at ancient libraries. 11 Most Impressive Libraries from the Ancient World

From the website: Libraries, regardless of whether or not they attach themselves to a university, belong to a public system, or simply sit inside someone's home, exist as an essential vertebrae in society's backbone. These intellectual institutions make knowledge and education accessible to individuals, businesses and cities alike, preventing mental — and, subsequently, collective — stagnation. By no means are they anything new, either! For millennia, libraries of all shapes and sizes have kept humanity puttering ever forward, allowing for some of the greatest innovations ever conceived. Although all but one gradually fell to fire and time, these ancient wonders deserve awe and accolades for everything they've accomplished when it comes to promoting every academic and literary subject imaginable.