Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library
Encyclopedia
Public library
A public library is a library that is accessible by the public and is generally funded from public sources and operated by civil servants. There are five fundamental characteristics shared by public libraries...
located in Topeka, Kansas
Topeka, Kansas
Topeka |Kansa]]: Tó Pee Kuh) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Shawnee County. It is situated along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, located in northeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was...
. It serves all of Shawnee County, Kansas
Shawnee County, Kansas
Shawnee County is a county located in northeast Kansas, in the central United States of America. Its most populous city, Topeka, is the state capital and county seat. The county's population was 177,934 for the 2010 census...
with the exception of the Rossville, Kansas
Rossville, Kansas
Rossville is a city in Shawnee County, Kansas, United States. The population was 1,014 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Topeka, Kansas Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
and Silver Lake, Kansas
Silver Lake, Kansas
Silver Lake is a city in Shawnee County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 1,439. It is part of the Topeka, Kansas Metropolitan Statistical Area.-20th century:...
townships. The Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library is a municipal taxing district authorized by Kansas law. It is governed by a board of trustee
Trustee
Trustee is a legal term which, in its broadest sense, can refer to any person who holds property, authority, or a position of trust or responsibility for the benefit of another...
s consisting of ten members.
The library offers many services to the public including homebound delivery, 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...
services, a homework
Homework
Homework, or homework assignment, refers to tasks assigned to students by their teachers to be completed outside of class. Common homework assignments may include a quantity or period of reading to be performed, writing or typing to be completed, problems to be solved, a school project to be built...
help center, 177 public computers, meeting rooms, extensive programming and an art gallery.
History
The Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library was founded in 1870 when the Ladies' Library Association met to start a library. It was not until March of 1871 that the doors of the library finally opened in the Keith & Meyers Dry Goods Store. In 1883, the library opened its first permanent building. Edward Wilder, Secretary-Treasurer of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe RailwayAtchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often abbreviated as Santa Fe, was one of the larger railroads in the United States. The company was first chartered in February 1859...
and President of the Library Board, convinced the Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
and the AT&SFRR to jointly fund a building for the library on the State House grounds.
In 1953, the library opened its new building at the corner of 10th and Washburn. In 1970, the Library expanded at its current location in celebration of its centennial. In 1996, voters approved a $23 million expansion project. Michael Graves
Michael Graves
Michael Graves is an American architect. Identified as one of The New York Five, Graves has become a household name with his designs for domestic products sold at Target stores in the United States....
was retained by the architectural firm
Architectural firm
An architectural firm is a company which employs one or more licensed architects and practices the profession of architecture.- History :Architects have existed since early in recorded history. The earliest recorded architects include Imhotep and Senemut . No writings exist to describe how these...
to be the design architect. A groundbreaking
Groundbreaking
Groundbreaking, also known as cutting, sod-cutting, turning the first sod or a sod-turning ceremony, is a traditional ceremony in many cultures that celebrates the first day of construction for a building or other project. Such ceremonies are often attended by dignitaries such as politicians and...
took place in 1998 for the expansion. The library opened its doors on January 27, 2001.
Former directors include Horace Moses, James Marvin and David L. Leamon
David L. Leamon
David Lee Leamon was a public library administrator from the United States.-Education and early career:Leamon received his bachelor's degree with a double major in Fine Art and Theater from Central Missouri State University in Warrensburg, Missouri...
. The current Executive Director is Gina Millsap. The library's auditorium is named after James Marvin and the Library's Circulation Lobby is named after David Leamon. The Special Collections area contains the Moses Collection.
In February 2009, the library board voted to restrict minors from accessing four sexually-themed books.
After public protest and controversy over the decision, the library board voted in April 2009 to return the books to the shelves without restriction.