Power of Public Libraries
(By Elizabeth Tuico) Gone are the days of gloomy reading rooms with the uptight librarian who shushed patrons into silence. Today, libraries are the hub of most communities providing not only books but classes, lectures and lifelong learning opportunities. I’ve been an enthusiastic library advocate for decades. My appreciation for the public library led me to research the topic. I uncovered surprises along the way.
Takoma Park (D.C.) Library
Let’s start with the Takoma Branch of the District of Columbia Library, one of my favorite places. The first branch in the District of Columbia library system, Takoma Park first opened its doors on November 11, 1911 at 416 Cedar Street, N.W. Funded by a $40,000 grant from philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, the one-story Renaissance Revival style brick building was designed by Marsh & Peter. The library has continually served this tight-knit neighborhood for 110 years and counting.
Origins of D.C.’s Public Library System
Until the 2000s, Washington was considered a sleepy town. The seat of the federal government was a little late to the public library party. After a long effort by Theodore W. Noyes, editor of The Evening Star, the District of Columbia Public Library was created by an act of Congress in 1896. From 1898 to 1903, a small library was located in a house at 1326 New York Avenue, N.W. In 1899, Andrew Carnegie donated the funds to build a central library at Mount Vernon Square which opened in 1903.
The central library remained at this location until the 1972 when it moved to Mies van der Rohe-designed building at 9th and G streets N.W. Known as the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, the historic building recently underwent a major renovation, reopening in 2020. (The old Mount Vernon library is now a pretty cool Apple store.)
D.C.’s library system boasts 25 branches, which are the heart of each community. In addition to books, residents benefit from clubs, classes, lectures and events. During the last 15 years, the District has focused on rebuilding older library branches in the city. There are some real gems, including the West End Library and Southwest Library.
When Did Libraries Start in America?
The concept of a library is a simple, yet powerful idea. Educate anyone that can read by lending books for free. It made me wonder how it all started. When I began researching the first library in America, I discovered conflicting data.
The first public library in the U.S. is contested, with three generally accepted answers (according to the American Library Association). Something in my childhood made me believe that Benjamin Franklin is the father of the American library system. The Library Company of Philadelphia was founded in November 1731 by Benjamin Franklin. It was a subscription library supported by members. Pre-Revolutionary War makes it the first lending library, but you had to pay to play (or in this case, read). Hence, the conflict with library purists.
Contender #2 is the first free modern public library opened in 1833 in Peterborough, New Hampshire. It was the first institution funded by a municipality with the explicit purpose of establishing a free library open to all.
The last contender for the title is the Boston Public Library. Founded in 1848, it was the first free municipal library in a large community.
The Library Company of Philadelphia
Almost 400 years later, The Library Company of Philadelphia is still going strong. Free and open to the public, the Library Company specializes in American society and culture from the 17th through the 19th centuries. It is considered America’s first successful lending library and oldest cultural institution.
In 1731, Benjamin Franklin convinced 50 of his peers to pool their resources and purchase a collection of books none could have afforded alone. Each member contributed 40 shillings and agreed to pay ten shillings per year thereafter. As the Library Company’s collection grew, the book capital of each shareholder expanded as well. This is truly clever idea for the time.
From 1776 to 1800, when Philadelphia was the seat of the national government, the Library Company also served as the Library of Congress. Until the 1850s, it was the largest public library in America. All of the books the Library Company acquired since its inception are still on its shelves, along with many others added since it became a research library in the 1950s.
Peterborough, New Hampshire Town Library
At Peterborough’s town meeting on April 9, 1833, a proposal was submitted to create a library to be owned and funded by the people through taxation. Open to all, it became the first free tax-supported public library in the nation. The idea didn’t come into fruition until four years later when a complete library catalog was printed and distributed to every family in town.
The books were stored first in the general store, then in the post office and finally in a pharmacy. By 1890, the library had acquired over 6,000 books. A dedicated building was needed. On October 4, 1893, the new Peterborough Town Library opened to the public and still serves the community today.
Boston Public Library
Established in 1848, the Boston Public Library (BPL) is considered the first large free municipal library in the United States. After operating from two earlier sites, the present stately building in Copley Square has been home to the library since 1895, serving as its headquarters. Designed by McKim, Meade and White, the Renaissance Beaux-Arts Classical library was dubbed “the palace for the people.”
Not to be outdone, Boston Public Library claims these achievements: first publicly funded U.S. library; first public library to lend books; first library with a dedicated children’s room; first library system with branch locations; and first library to offer free wireless internet connection. That’s Boston strong.
Public Libraries Today
Public libraries came into existence to make reading available to all, despite the expense of early books. As times changed and technology evolved, so did the mission of public libraries. Innovative library programs support lucky patrons across the country.
Boston Public Library opened a nutrition lab at their Roxbury Branch as a hub for culinary literacy. Harvard Law School hosts a Legal Services Center. BPL operates Excel High School, a free online GED program for Boston residents.
New York Public Library promotes the arts, hosting live dance, music and theater performances as well as film screenings throughout the city. Other programs include Creative Aging, TechConnect and the Go Green Initiative.
Los Angeles Public Library supports makers with the Octavia Lab, a do-it-yourself studio space with 3D printers and a laser cutter. The Memory Lab helps patrons with their personal archiving by providing free equipment for the digitization of photos, video and sound recordings.
Kansas City Public Library connects immigrant populations with quality services through their Refugee & Immigrant Services & Empowerment program. This library system also offers free notary services at every branch.
YOUmedia is part of the Chicago Public Library. Programs include recording studio certification, intro to acting, mark making for abstract prints, tween Tuesdays and candle making. This library system also maintains an extensive music collection and lends out CDs in every genre.
New Orleans Public Library has a cake pan lending collection. If you want to bake a king cake and don’t have a proper pan, you can check one out from Rosa F. Keller Library and Community Center. (Please don’t return the pans through the book drop.)
Laramie County (Wyoming) Library System provides homebound services to individuals who are unable to visit their local branch intended to help patrons with disabilities, short term shut-ins and those without conventional access to a location.
Creative Lab, part of the Salt Lake City Public Library, provides fashion design-level sewing machines, a sound booth, 3D printers, Canon EOS Rebel T5i DSLR camera, lighting equipment and virtual reality for patrons. This program fosters innovation, ingenuity and creativity through the latest technology.
Are you using the services at your local library? These valuable community resources offer so much more than books. What are you waiting for? Discover endless possibilities of lifelong learning and creativity at your public library.