St. Paul Public Library
Encyclopedia
The Saint Paul Public Library is a library system serving the residents of Saint Paul, Minnesota
, in the United States
. The library system includes a Central Library, twelve branch locations, and a bookmobile
.
The Saint Paul Public Library traces its beginnings to 1856 when the newly formed Young Men's Christian Association opened a reading room. The following year, both the Saint Paul Library Association and the Mercantile Library Association also were organized. These early efforts all merged in 1863 into the Saint Paul Library Association.
In 1879, under the leadership of Alexander Ramsey
, the Library Association proposed that the City accept responsibility for their collections and establish it as a free public library. Finally, on September 7, 1882, the city council approved an appropriation of $5,000 to establish the Saint Paul Public Library. By this date, the collection had grown to include 8,051 books.
In the following years, the Library grew rapidly. As early as 1890, there were calls for the construction of a new building. Instead, in 1900, the Library moved to the old Market Hall, located on Seventh Street. Many civic leaders continued to push for the construction of a new building, but the Library remained in the Market Hall until a fire in 1915 destroyed the entire building, including the Library and most of its collection of 158,000 books. At the time of the fire, construction of the new Central Library was already underway.
Planning for the new Central Library had occurred well before the 1915 fire. Under the leadership of Mayor Lawler in 1909, serious work began on building a new Library. A site was chosen on Rice Park, and in 1910, the Library board began discussing how to raise the $500,000 it was estimated the new building would cost.
By 1912, railroad baron James J. Hill
had offered to contribute $700,000 specifically for the construction and endowment of a reference library attached to the public library. Almost simultaneously, $100,000 toward the project was raised through a subscription campaign, $30,000 was received through a bequest from Greenleaf Clark, and the state legislature authorized the sale of $600,000 in bonds for the construction of the new facility. By the fall of 1912, the Library board had hired Charles Soule, a Boston library consultant, to assist in planning the new facility. Ground was broken for Central Library in 1914. Ultimately, the entire building, including the Hill Reference Library, was erected at a cost of approximately $1.5 million.
The Central Library opened in 1917. In that same year, three Carnegie library
branches opened -- Arlington Hills Library
, Riverview Branch Library
, and Saint Anthony Park
. All four buildings are still in operation as libraries. The Central Library has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places
since 1975.
The library started an extension division in the 1920s provided books for various public schools in Ramsey County
outside of Saint Paul. This division became the Ramsey County Library
in 1951.
Expansion of the Saint Paul Public Library continued in 1930, when the Hamline and Merriam Park branch libraries opened. Both branches were made possible by a bequest from the estate of Henry Hale.
In 1945, the Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library was formed to encourage and stimulate use and support of the library.
The 1950s saw 3 more branches open: Rice Street in 1952, Highland Park in 1954, and Hayden Heights in 1955.
In 1970, the Sun Ray branch library was opened.
In 1993, the new Merriam Park library opened.
The Central Library closed in October 2000 to undergo a $16 million renovation project. The library re-opened on October 5, 2002.
In 2002, the new Rice Street library opened.
In 2004, the Dayton's Bluff branch opened in the new Library and Learning Center of Metropolitan State University
.
In 2006, the Rondo Community Outreach Library opened in a mixed-use facility including 98 housing units.
In 2008, a child was allegedly molested by someone reportedly viewing Internet pornography at the Riverview branch.
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city...
, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The library system includes a Central Library, twelve branch locations, and a bookmobile
Bookmobile
A bookmobile or mobile library is a large vehicle designed for use as a library. It is designed to hold books on shelves so that when the vehicle is parked the books can be accessed by readers. It usually has enough space for people to sit and read books inside. Mobile libraries are often used to...
.
The Saint Paul Public Library traces its beginnings to 1856 when the newly formed Young Men's Christian Association opened a reading room. The following year, both the Saint Paul Library Association and the Mercantile Library Association also were organized. These early efforts all merged in 1863 into the Saint Paul Library Association.
In 1879, under the leadership of Alexander Ramsey
Alexander Ramsey
Alexander Ramsey was an American politician. He was born near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.Alexander Ramsey was elected from Pennsylvania as a Whig to the U.S. House of Representatives and served in the 28th and 29th congresses from March 4, 1843 to March 4, 1847...
, the Library Association proposed that the City accept responsibility for their collections and establish it as a free public library. Finally, on September 7, 1882, the city council approved an appropriation of $5,000 to establish the Saint Paul Public Library. By this date, the collection had grown to include 8,051 books.
In the following years, the Library grew rapidly. As early as 1890, there were calls for the construction of a new building. Instead, in 1900, the Library moved to the old Market Hall, located on Seventh Street. Many civic leaders continued to push for the construction of a new building, but the Library remained in the Market Hall until a fire in 1915 destroyed the entire building, including the Library and most of its collection of 158,000 books. At the time of the fire, construction of the new Central Library was already underway.
Planning for the new Central Library had occurred well before the 1915 fire. Under the leadership of Mayor Lawler in 1909, serious work began on building a new Library. A site was chosen on Rice Park, and in 1910, the Library board began discussing how to raise the $500,000 it was estimated the new building would cost.
By 1912, railroad baron James J. Hill
James J. Hill
James Jerome Hill , was a Canadian-American railroad executive. He was the chief executive officer of a family of lines headed by the Great Northern Railway, which served a substantial area of the Upper Midwest, the northern Great Plains, and Pacific Northwest...
had offered to contribute $700,000 specifically for the construction and endowment of a reference library attached to the public library. Almost simultaneously, $100,000 toward the project was raised through a subscription campaign, $30,000 was received through a bequest from Greenleaf Clark, and the state legislature authorized the sale of $600,000 in bonds for the construction of the new facility. By the fall of 1912, the Library board had hired Charles Soule, a Boston library consultant, to assist in planning the new facility. Ground was broken for Central Library in 1914. Ultimately, the entire building, including the Hill Reference Library, was erected at a cost of approximately $1.5 million.
The Central Library opened in 1917. In that same year, three Carnegie library
Carnegie library
A Carnegie library is a library built with money donated by Scottish-American businessman and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. 2,509 Carnegie libraries were built between 1883 and 1929, including some belonging to public and university library systems...
branches opened -- Arlington Hills Library
Arlington Hills Library
The Arlington Hills Library is a 1916 Beaux Arts library building designed by Cameron and Company. It is one of three Carnegie Libraries in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places....
, Riverview Branch Library
Riverview Branch Library
The Riverview Branch Library is a 1916 Beaux Arts library building designed by Cameron and Company; it is one of three Carnegie Libraries in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It is located in the West Side neighborhood. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places....
, and Saint Anthony Park
St. Anthony Park Branch Library
The St. Anthony Park Branch Library is a branch of the St. Paul Public Library. A Carnegie library built in 1917, it is on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1999 a rotunda was built on to the back of the building. This new section houses the branch’s children’s collection, one of the...
. All four buildings are still in operation as libraries. The Central Library has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
since 1975.
The library started an extension division in the 1920s provided books for various public schools in Ramsey County
Ramsey County
There are two places in the United States named Ramsey County:*Ramsey County, Minnesota, the seat of the state capital, Saint Paul*Ramsey County, North Dakota...
outside of Saint Paul. This division became the Ramsey County Library
Ramsey County Library
Ramsey County Library is a library system that operates in suburban Ramsey County, Minnesota. The system has seven branches. The library started in the 1920s when the extension division of the Saint Paul Public Library provided books for various public schools in the county outside of Saint Paul....
in 1951.
Expansion of the Saint Paul Public Library continued in 1930, when the Hamline and Merriam Park branch libraries opened. Both branches were made possible by a bequest from the estate of Henry Hale.
In 1945, the Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library was formed to encourage and stimulate use and support of the library.
The 1950s saw 3 more branches open: Rice Street in 1952, Highland Park in 1954, and Hayden Heights in 1955.
In 1970, the Sun Ray branch library was opened.
In 1993, the new Merriam Park library opened.
The Central Library closed in October 2000 to undergo a $16 million renovation project. The library re-opened on October 5, 2002.
In 2002, the new Rice Street library opened.
In 2004, the Dayton's Bluff branch opened in the new Library and Learning Center of Metropolitan State University
Metropolitan State University
Metropolitan State University is a four-year public university located in the Twin Cities of Minnesota, United States. It is a member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system.-History:...
.
In 2006, the Rondo Community Outreach Library opened in a mixed-use facility including 98 housing units.
In 2008, a child was allegedly molested by someone reportedly viewing Internet pornography at the Riverview branch.