History
McCreless Friends of the Library have donated thousands of dollars for books to supplement the library's collection. The Friends have also funded the purchase of numerous small items and the following major items: Community Information Board, Podium and Sound System, Television and VCR, United TX States and Texas Flags for meeting room.
Debra Guerrero, during her term as City Councilwoman, allocated District 3 Discretionary funding to provide: Children's Furniture and Area Rugs, Adult Reading Chairs, Paperback Racks and CD Cabinet, Picnic Bench and Bicycle Rack.
"San Antonio - Something to Remember" & Fiesta Posters donated by Linda Billa Burke and Debra Guerrero and framed by the McCreless Friends Group.
McCreless Branch Library was designed to serve as a resource center for residents throughout the Southeast part of San Antonio and Bexar County. The site for this library was donated to the City by Mr. S.E. McCreless and Mr. G.S. McCreless. The 5, 800 square foot library building was constructed in 1966 for a cost of $98,000, with a 30,000 volume collection and 6.5 FTE staff serving an estimated population of 60,000 people. The library was named for G. Sealie and Sollie E. McCreless. These two were twins. At birth, they weighed three pounds each. Their mother kept them in two shoeboxes on top of a wood-burning stove to keep them warm. The babies were so small she could slip her wedding ring over their hands to their wrists. The tiny twins thrived, growing up to eventually build the McCreless Mall in 1963 and to donate the land to build the McCreless Branch Library. After some 30 years,
the McCreless Branch closed for much-needed renovation. Construction began on October 2, 1995 and the doors reopened on December 15, 1996 at a cost of $1,169,080. The new addition included a meeting room.
The branch was closed for further renovations in the fall of 2006. The bond-funded improvements included roofing, carpet and paint in the meeting room, resurfacing the parking lot and restroom improvements. When the library re-opened in November 2006 patrons were treated to a generous gift by Mrs. Aurelia McCreless of ten framed replica flags valued at $3500 representing all the flags that have flown over Texas.
- Original Architect: Emmit R. Tuggle;
- Renovation architect: Overland Partners, Inc.
- Original Contractor: William Matera
- Renovation contractor: Winters Contractions, Inc.
- Square footage of the building: 12,000 square feet