Salt Lake City Public Library system: Difference between revisions

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==History==
The [[Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] oversaw many of the libraries in early Salt Lake City and the rest of the [[Utah Territory]], founded in 1850.<ref name=libhistory>{{cite web|url=http://www.slcpl.lib.ut.us/details.jsp?parent_id=2&page_id=293|title=History of The City Library|date=2003|publisher=Salt Lake City Public Library|accessdate=March 18, 2010}}</ref> While many locals tried to promote public lending libraries, private libraries were the most prosperous in early Salt Lake. For many years private libraries were the only ones accessible to the people of the city.<ref name="nrhpnom">{{cite web|url=http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NRHP/Text/79002505.pdf|title=National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Salt Lake City Public Library|author=John S. H. Smith|date=August 7, 1979|publisher=National Park Service}}{{cite web|url=http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NRHP/Photos/79002505.pdf |title=Accompanying 4 photos, from 1979.|work=National Register of Historic Places Inventory}}</ref>
The Salt Lake City public library system began in [[1896]] when Utah was admitted to the union as a state. The newly formed legislature passed a law establishing free libraries. Previous to this the only libraries were a small reading room set up by a group of women from [[1872]] to [[1876]] and a library run by the [[Masonic Order]] from [[1877]] to [[1891]]. In 1891 the Masonic library was donated to the newly-formed Pioneer Library Association, which lasted until statehood.
 
Over these territorial years several groups attempted to establish a free public library, including a small group of women called the Ladies Library Association and a [[Masonic Order]] in the city. By 1891, the two organizations had acquired a stock of over 10,000 books, but lack of funding forced the two to donate their collections to the newly formed Pioneer Library Association.<ref name=libhistory/> By 1898, another group of women called the Ladies Literary Society had successfully promoted a bill in the territorial legislature giving a levy on [[property tax]] to public libraries in the state.<ref name=nrhpnom/> Because of this law, the Free Public Library of Salt Lake City, the city's first government-run free public library, opened on February 14, 1898. Its temporary location was on the top floor of the [[Salt Lake City and County Building]], and the collection consisted mainly of a stockpile of 11,910 books donated by the Pioneer Library Association.<ref name=libhistory/> The Pioneer Library Association also provided a librarian for the new library, Annie E. Chapman, for whom the current Chapman branch is now named.
The City's first government-run free public library was founded in 1898 on the top floor of the [[Salt Lake City and County Building]] It consisted of 11,910 books and was run by Annie E. Chapman, for whom the Chapman branch is named. In 1900 the library had outgrown its housing and was proposed to move to a new locale on State Street, which opened in 1905 with a new librarian Joanna Sprague.
 
By 1900 the library had outgrown its housing, and attention was turned to acquiring a larger, more permanent location. Again the Ladies Literary Society helped out by persuading the mining millionaire John Quackenbos Packard to donate land and money for a new location.<ref name=nrhpnom/> The new location was at 15 South State Street in a building that cost $100,000 at the time. The new library opened in 1905 with a new librarian, Joanna Sprague, for whom the Sprague branch is now named. This building would serve as the main branch library until October 1964, when a new library was built at 200 East and 500 South.<ref name=libhistory/>
In November [[1998]] taxpayers were asked to fund the building of a new main [[library]] building [[downtown (Salt Lake City)|downtown]]. Voters approved a $84 million bond. Several [[architect]]s submitted plans, but the firm of [[Moshe Safdie]] and Associates was eventually chosen. Ground broke in October [[2000]] with construction completed in February 2003. The downtown library is inspired by the Central branch of the [[Vancouver Public Library]], also designed by Moshe Safdie and Associates.
 
In November [[1998]] taxpayers were asked to fund the building of a new main [[library]] building [[downtown (Salt Lake City)|downtown]]. Voters approved a $84 million bond. Several [[architect]]sarchitects submitted plans, but the firm of [[Moshe Safdie]] and Associates was eventually chosen. Ground broke in October [[2000]] with construction completed in February 2003. The downtown library is inspired by the Central branch of the [[Vancouver Public Library]], also designed by Moshe Safdie and Associates.
 
== See also ==
* [[Salt Lake County Library Services]]
 
==References==
{{reflist}}
 
==External links==