Library Postcards: July 2014

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Richards Memorial Library, North Attleboro, Massachusetts

[LIB11112] The North Attleborough Public Library was established in 1889, by the North Attleborough Union Improvement District, which turned its library over to the town. [Wikipedia]

Public Library, Albert Lea, Minnesota

[LIB11111] Carnegie Library.

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Carnegie Library, New London, Wisconsin

[LIB11110] The New London Public Library was built in 1914 with funds from Philanthropist and industrialist Andrew Carnegie. The museum was constructed next to the library and opened in 1932. By 1986, the growth of the library's collection led to a major building project that linked the library and the museum buildings. The library expanded into the museum building, and the museum relocated to the lower level. [Waymarking]

Library, Limberlost Memorial, Geneva, Indiana

[LIB11109] Home of Gene Stratton-Porter, author of A Girl of the Limberlost.

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Public Library, Waltham, Massachusetts

[LIB11108] Waltham Public Library traces its roots to 1865 when the town created what was called the Free Town Library. It was formed from the merger of three older libraries: the Waltham Social Club, the Rumford Institute, and the Agricultural Library Association. The new library was located on the top floor of a bank building, later, in 1880, moving to new quarters at the corner of Charles and Moody Streets.

It took a generous benefactor, Francis Buttrick, to give the town the building now in use. He started out as a carpenter in town in 1838, eventually starting his own business and purchasing a lumberyard in 1857. He made his fortune in real estate and was able to give the money for a new library building.

In 1913 the planning committee decided that the new library's site would be where the old Central House stood on Main Street. It went back to 1679 and was run as a tavern by a David Smith. Loring and Leland, architects in Boston, were chosen in 1914 for the design of the new building, and the groundbreaking was held on October 23 of that year. The formal dedication of the new library was held on December 11, 1915 with a gala event, and the library reopened to welcome patrons on the thirteenth. [Website]

Carnegie Library, Decatur, Alabama

[LIB11109] This library is now used as the Carnegie Visual Art Center. The Historic Carnegie was built in 1904 and served as the public library in Decatur for over 70 years. The Carnegie is a public building that now serves as the area’s first art museum and education center.

Monday, July 7, 2014

Public Library, Belfast, Maine

[LIB11107]

Squid vs Belfast, ME Postcard by AaronMitchellArt
Browse more Aaron Postcards at Zazzle

Public Library, Waverly, Iowa

[LIB11106] On February 20, 1903, Andrew Carnegie, a wealthy New York philanthropist, awarded Waverly a $10,000 grant to construct a new library building. The new library was dedicated on January 1, 1905, and opened to the public for their use. At that time, the population of Waverly was 2,916 and the library owned less than 2,000 books. [Wikipedia]