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What Happens When The Volunteers Vanish and The Public Libraries Are Forced To Close Their Doors Forever?
Hour by Hour, Week by Week, Year by Year the General Public are having the Structures of Their Society Eroded By Deliberate Government Policies.
nrhp # 85001498- On March 25, 1871, the "Olean Library Association" was established by a small group of public-spirited citizens. The first meeting was held in Miss Lyon's school house on Laurens Street. In May 1871, the library settled in the rear of John G. Pelton's tailor shop (located on the west side of North Union Street, midway between Laurens and State streets). It was open only 1 day per week, Saturday from 1-9 PM. Annual dues were $2.00 for gentlemen and $1.00 for ladies. 697 books formed the collection.[2]
On September 30, 1878, the library moved to a new home under the supervision of Charles Gillingham. It was located in a room rented from P.J. Hastings in what was known as the Berg (or Birge, after Norman Birge, a harness maker who owned the block). Later, it moved to quarters on the second floor of the Exchange Bank building, and then to 102 Hamilton Street where it remained until 1889.[2]
On June 12, 1888, the library was renamed in honor of George V. Forman, who donated the property and building.[3] Forman was a founder of "Vandergrift, Forman & Company," which became part of the Standard Oil Company.[4] The library moved into its new home on Forman property on April 2, 1889.
"Old" Olean Public Library
On December 13, 1906, the charter which was granted by the Board of Regents of New York State named the institution "The Olean Public Library" and it became a free library. In April 1909, the library relocated to the second floor of City Hall while the "Carnegie Library" was being built on the Forman property. The cornerstone for Carnegie building was laid on July 3, 1909.[2]
The library is a historic, built in 1909, with funds provided by the philanthropist Andrew Carnegie was one of 3,000 such libraries constructed between 1885 and 1919, and one of 107 in New York State. Carnegie provided $40,000 (equivalent to $1,152,000 in 2020) toward the construction of the Olean library. The building was designed by architect Edward L. Tilton in the Beaux-Arts style. The interior features a grand stairway and entrance, large rooms, and central atrium.[5] The Carnegie building was opened May 23, 1910 and a period of growth in the size and scope of the collection and patronage began almost immediately. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.[1]
In the early 1970s, a new site was secured for the library and on September 21, 1973, the library opened at 134 North Second Street in a former Loblaws Supermarket. The modern facility continues to meet the changing informational needs of the community. The mission of the Olean Public Library is to improve the community's quality of life by providing equal access to materials in various formats, programming and services for patrons of all ages, and a capable and professional staff available to assist members of the greater Olean community in support of their educational, informational, and leisure needs.[2]
The original NRHP listed "Olean Public Library" was occupied by the "Olean Historical Society" and the "Department of Aging" from 1974 to 1979. In 1982, the Olean Board of Education sold the property to Louis Marra, which made possible the opening of The Old Library Restaurant and "The Old Bed and Breakfast Library Inn."
from Wikipedia
This is the Bates Reading Room at the Boston Public Library. It is huge, has large windows, a vaulted ceiling. Very grand! People love to work at these old fashioned tables under the green lights.
nrhp # 89002303- The Leach Public Library in Wahpeton, North Dakota was built in 1923. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990.[1]
It was funded by Orrin Leach, who also served as Wahpeton's mayor. When his initial $25,000 contribution proved inadequate, he gave more funds.[2]
Fargo architects Keith & Kurke provided the design.
from Wikipedia
New York City. NYC is the biggest city in the US and the metropolitan area is the most populated in the world. NYC has over 8 million people and the metro area has around 22 million. But it all began in 1626 in a small way as New Amsterdam, the capital city of New Netherlands. The Dutch chose the southern tip of Manhattan Island and paid the local Indians the equivalent of $1,000 for their colony, not the $24 often quoted! The British seized New Amsterdam at the end of the Second Anglo-Dutch War in 1664. They renamed it New York. A few Dutch place names remain like Harlem, Wall ( Waal) Street, Broadway ( Breede weg ), Coney Island ( Konijnen Eiland) and Staten Island, and some of the aristocratic old families of NY trace their origins back to the Dutch colony like Stuyvesant, Roosevelt ( Teddy and Franklin were Presidents in 20th century) , Vanderbilt, Van Buren (Martin was President 1837-41), Schuyler etc. The Dutch, like the French in Canada, made money from the fur trade with the upstate Indians. NYC was superbly sited to have access via the Hudson River to the Canadian border, and its sheltered harbour was large and one of the best in the world. By the time of the American Revolution it had around 20,000 people. The city grew and prospered because of its geographical situation. As we heard when we went to Niagara Falls this was further assisted after the building of the Erie Canal to link the Hudson River with the Great Lake system in 1825. A bit later the canal was superseded by the first railways which followed its route to the Great Lakes thus cementing New York’s position as a vital land transport and international shipping hub. This all meant that by 1860 NYC had a population of 1.2 million and was by far the largest city in the US.
NYC played a major role in the American Revolution from 1775-1783. It was strongly patriotic to the revolutionaries (it was a trading city) and General Washington made his headquarters here in April 1776. But after his defeat at the Battle of Long Island (Brooklyn) in August 1777 Washington was forced to evacuate the city and it then remained in British hands until the Peace Treaty of 1783. Some 40,000 men had been involved in the battle at Brooklyn as the British had their fleet off Staten Island. Washington was cheered as the saviour of his 9,000 troops because casualties were low when he retreated from Brooklyn to Manhattan. The British then attacked Manhattan a couple of weeks later and Washington retreated to Pennsylvania leaving NYC to the British. After the Revolution NYC became the first US capital in 1785 under the Articles of Confederation. When this was replaced by the new US Constitution in 1789 NYC was again the national capital until 1790 when it was transferred to Philadelphia before going to Washington DC in 1800. New York was always President Washington’s favourite city. He stayed in the best hotels there, always had white horses to pull his presidential carriage, and he wore a cape with an ermine collar and other regalia reminiscent of a king!
As the home base of so many of the Robber Barons and the landing point for almost all the immigrants from Europe the city expanded incredibly rapidly in the late 19th and early 20th century. It became known for its skyscrapers. When the Great Depression hit America in the 1930s building just continued in New York despite the economic slump. The city is now graced with Art Deco and Beaux Arts buildings such as the New York Public Library, Grand Central Terminal, the Rockefeller Centre and the Chrysler Building. The Robber Barons have left a legacy which includes these buildings, plus Carnegie Hall, Frick’s home and collection, Morgan’s home and library, etc. The other jewel of NYC apart from its impressive buildings is Central Park. As the city expanded during the 1830s and 1840s people clamoured for an open air park where they could ride horses and drive in their carriages like the wealthy of London and Paris. In 1853 the state government paid US$5 million for over 700 acres in the north of Manhattan for a grand park. In 1857 a landscape design competition was held and Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux won. Roads across the park were to be sunken or shielded by bushes; 36 bridges were required; and woodland areas and naturalistic landscapes were all part of the design. During construction a further 65 acres were added; 18.5 million tons of topsoil was bought in from New Jersey; a similar amount of rock was taken out to form lakes and more the 4 million trees and shrubs were planted. Despite periods of neglect today Central Park is an outstanding people’s park with boating, skating, riding, fun fairs, music and theatre and a small zoo.
The Soldiers Monument honoring Cedar County residents who have given their lives serving our country in times of conflict, adorns the front lawn of the library grounds.
Marble Shaft Memorial
This 30 foot marble shaft includes names of Civil War soldiers from the region. Since the names are wearing off, there are two red granite monuments in back that have soldiers from all wars including about 290 CW soldiers. Also, there is a small separate monument for a Revolutionary War Veteran Charles Harry.
nrhp # 77001034- The Mayville Public Library on Center Ave., N., Mayville, North Dakota was built in 1900. It was designed by Fargo architect William C. Albrant. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.[1]
The library was funded by donations of J.L. Grandin and E.B. Grandin, who made money in bonanza farming.
from Wikipedia
nrhp # 85002845- The Rundel Memorial Building is a historic library building located at Rochester in Monroe County, New York. It is the original downtown site of the Rochester Public Library, and along with the Bausch & Lomb Library Building directly across the street, serves as the Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County. It is framed in reinforced concrete and faced in smooth Indiana limestone. It consists of three main floors, a mezzanine, two underground levels, a catwalk level above the river, and a penthouse area for equipment. It was constructed between 1934 and 1936, and represents an integration of Beaux-Arts planning and massing with Art Deco detailing and stylization. The building is sited along the east side of the Genesee River directly above the Johnson and Seymour millrace and Rochester Subway. The building was built in part with monies from the estate of Morton W. Rundel and with a grant from the Public Works Administration.[2]
It is a work of prominent Rochester architectural firm Gordon & Kaelber[2]
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.
from Wikipedia
Who, in the public library, one evening after rain,
amongst the polished tables and linoleum,
stands bored under blank light to glance at these pages?
Whose absent mood, like neon glowing in the night,
is conversant with wet pavements, nothing to do?
Neutral, the clock-watching girl stamps out the date,
a forced celebration, a posthumous birthday,
her head buttered by the drizzling library lamps,
yet the accident of words, too, can light the semi-dark
should the reader lead them home, generously journey,
later to return, perhaps leaving a bus ticket as a bookmark.
Who wrote in margins hieroglyphic notations,
that obscenity, deleted this imperfect line?
Read by whose hostile eyes, in what bed-sitting room,
in which rainy, dejected railway stations?
Real photo postcard. Has a real New England vibe but I'm not sure where. Deep seek was no help and there's only so much patience I have for having to fact check an AI's nonsense.
nrhp # 88003015- The Public Library of Paris, Maine, is located at 37 Market Square in the village of South Paris, Maine. The original portion of its building, a Colonial Revival brick structure built in 1926, was one of the last designs of the Portland architect John Calvin Stevens, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989.
from Wikipedia
Vancouver (Canada) Public Library entrance: the architect insists he was not influenced by the Roman Coliseum.
This was the kind of furniture in the area, it was designed for people to sit on the floor. The area was packed with teenagers.