Carnegie Free Library
Carnegie Free Library

Carnegie Free Library

The picture shows the Carnegie Library, which was the precursor of today's Public Library. Actually, El Paso Public Library is the oldest public library in Texas. It was founded by the teacher Mary Irene Stanton in 1894, when she donated her personal collection for a boy's Reading Club, to help her students. The books were placed in a room in the Sheldon building. The room became so popular that adults asked for the privileges of reading Stanton's books and the membership was extended to all, including women. The first library association was formed in 1896 consisting of Stanton as librarian and other women. In the same year the reading room was moved to City Hall. In 1899 it became open to the public. By 1900, the library had more than 1,500 books on the shelves and the first trained librarian was hired. With the financial support of the Carnegie Foundation of the philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, a separate building was built in 1904, the Carnegie Library. Mauran, Russell and Garden, architects from St. Louis, designed the library. It was a one-story structure with half a basement and was built on the block then known as Buckler Square, later renamed Carnegie Square. One of the most important forces in the development in the El Paso Public Library has to be the tenure of Maud Durlin Sullivan, who came to the library in 1908. Sullivan built a huge collection of books, musical scores and art prints, acquired books written in Spanish, developed a usable system of access and exhibited art in the library. Sullivan served as librarian until her death in 1943. In 1954 a new library building opened at the same site.

Area: Central / Downtown

Collection: Stansel Postcard Collection

Source: University of Texas at El Paso Library - Special Collections Department

Reference ID: PH049-1-1-017

Uploaded by: El Paso Museum of History

Comments

Add a comment
Thank you for your comment

Report this entry

Choose the most important reason for this report

Your name

Your email address

Optional detail

Thank you for your report

More from the same community-collection

El Paso Streetcar Arrival

El Paso Streetcar: Arrival of El Paso Streetcar #1506 in Central ...

El Paso Streetcar Arrival

El Paso Streetcar: Arrival of El Paso Streetcar #1506 in ...

El Paso Streetcar Arrival

El Paso Streetcar: Arrival of El Paso Streetcar #1506 in Central ...

El Paso Streetcar Arrival

El Paso Streetcar: Arrival of El Paso Streetcar #1506 in Central ...

El Paso Streetcar Arrival

El Paso Streetcar: Arrival of El Paso Streetcar #1506 in Central ...

El Paso Streetcar Arrival

El Paso Streetcar: Arrival of El Paso Streetcar #1506 in Central ...

El Paso Streetcar Arrival

El Paso Streetcar: Car #1506 in the El Paso Streetcar ...

El Paso Streetcar Arrival

El Paso Streetcar: Car #1506 in the El Paso Streetcar ...

El Paso Streetcar Arrival

El Paso Streetcar: Car #1506 in the El Paso Streetcar ...

El Paso Streetcar Arrival

El Paso Streetcar: Brookville Equipment Corp. Truck

El Paso Streetcar Arrival

El Paso Streetcar: Inside interior of the El Paso Streetcar ...

El Paso Streetcar Arrival

El Paso Streetcar: Inside interior of the El Paso Streetcar ...

El Paso Streetcar Arrival

El Paso Streetcar: Car #1506 being unloaded onto the track.

El Paso Streetcar Arrival

El Paso Streetcar: Car #1506 being unloaded onto the track.

El Paso Streetcar Arrival

El Paso Streetcar: Car #1506 being unloaded onto the track.

El Paso Streetcar Arrival

El Paso Streetcar: Car #1506 being unloaded onto the track.

El Paso Streetcar Arrival

El Paso Streetcar: Car #1506 being unloaded onto the track.

El Paso Streetcar Arrival

El Paso Streetcar: Car #1506 being unloaded onto the track.

El Paso Streetcar Arrival

El Paso Streetcar: El Paso Streetcar personnel posing in front ...

El Paso Streetcar Arrival

El Paso Streetcar: Car #1506 being guided on the track to the ...

El Paso Streetcar Arrival

El Paso Streetcar: Car #1506 being guided on the track to the ...

El Paso Streetcar Brookville Load-In

El Paso Steetcar: Car #1506 being placed into position for ...

El Paso Streetcar Brookville Load-In

El Paso Streetcar: Car #1506 being loaded onto freight truck at ...

home.search_collection