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.

Área: Central / Downtown

Colección: Stansel Postcard Collection

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

ID de referencia: PH049-1-1-017

Cargado por: El Paso Museum of History

Comentarios

Hacer un comentario
Gracias por su comentario

Reportar esta entrada

Elige la razón más importante para este reporte

Tu nombre

Tu correo electrónico

Detalle opcional

Gracias por su reporte

Más sobre la misma comunidad-colección

El Paso Police officer Howell Cobb - 1904

Witness for the Defense: On the afternoon of January 15, 1904, ...

El Paso Police officer Tom Threepersons - 1921

On March 9, 1921, the El Paso Herald reported, "One Man is ...

Jeff Davis Milton

Two of the Southwest's famous lawmen of the 1890s - 1900s. Jeff ...

DIGIE

Construction for the Digital Wall in December of 2014.

DIGIE

Construction for the Digital Wall in December of 2014.

DIGIE

Construction for the Digital Wall in December of 2014.

El Paso Police Detectives - 1929

El Paso Police Detectives and front of 219 S. Campbell St.

El Paso Police Department - 1948

El Paso Police officers in front of 219 S. Campbell. St

El Paso Police Command Staff - 1975

Chief of Police Robert Minnie with staff in front of Liberty ...

El Paso Police Department - 1903

Top Row Left to Right: Chas McDonald, Will Rynerson, Jim Briggs, ...

El Paso Police K-9 handlers - 1975

El Paso Police officers Richard Edens and Marcos Payan were the ...

El Paso Police car insignia - 60s

El Paso Police car insignia

Tug of War in the Rio Grande - February 16, 1977

El Paso Police officer Tim Davidson managing to outwit the ...

DIGIE

Construction of DIGIE - December 12, 2014.

DIGIE

Construction of DIGIE - December 12, 2014.

DIGIE

Construction of DIGIE - December 12, 2014.

El Centro de El Paso en la decada de 1890

The scenic shot shows downtown El Paso in the 1890s. The ...

Trolley in front of Gateway Hotel, 1960s

The image probably dates from the 1960s. It shows a trolley in ...

DIGIE Mascot

DIGIE is born--mascot--year 2014.

DIGIE Mascot

DIGIE---created in the year 2014.

DIGIE Mascot

DIGIE---created in the year 2014.

DIGIE Mascot

DIGIE---created in the year 2014.

home.search_collection