Guam Public Library System ( Chamoru: Sisteman Laibirihan Pupbleko Guåhan) is the

public library A public library is a library that is accessible by the general public and is usually funded from public sources, such as taxes. It is operated by librarians and library paraprofessionals, who are also civil servants. There are five fundament ...

system of the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territo ...

territory of

Guam Guam (; ch, Guåhan ) is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States in the Micronesia subregion of the western Pacific Ocean. It is the westernmost point and territory of the United States (reckoned from the geographic cent ...

. The main library is the Nieves M. Flores Memorial Library at 254 Martyr Street in the village of Hagåtña.

History

The Guam Public Library System officially opened January 31, 1949 sourced from two

Quonset hut A Quonset hut is a lightweight prefabricated structure of corrugated galvanized steel having a semi cylindrical cross-section. The design was developed in the United States, based on the Nissen hut introduced by the British during World War ...

s near the Agana Azotea. A division of the Department of Education, the original collection contained 13,000 books which were sourced mainly from deactivated Navy libraries. Many of the books also came from a substantial donation from the

Los Angeles Public Library The Los Angeles Public Library system (LAPL) is a public library system in Los Angeles, California. The system holds more than six million volumes, and with around 19 million residents in the Los Angeles Metropolitan area, it serves the larges ...

. By 1953 a bookmobile service began, allowing those in remote reaches of the country to have access to new books. The following year the library became an independent government agency, separating itself from the Department of Education. In 1960 the library relocated to the first floor of what used to be the Guam Administration Building. Because of its continued growth, and the need for more room, the library expanded to the second floor in 1968, and to the third floor in 1979. At this point the building was entirely used by the library and therefore was renamed the N. M. Flores Memorial Public Library. In 2011 the library system became a division of the Department of Chamorro Affairs.

Branches

The Guam Public Library system consists of 5 library branches located in various villages throughout the island. The following locations each have their own library branch. * Agat - 165 Follard Street *

Barrigada Barrigada ( ch, Barigåda) is a village in the United States territory of Guam. A largely residential municipality, its main village is located south of the Antonio B. Won Pat International Airport near the intersections of Routes 8, 10, and 16 ...

- 177 San Roque Drive *

Dededo Dededo ( ch, Dedidu; formerly in Spanish: , in Japanese: , ''Dededo'') is the most populated village in the United States territory of Guam. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Dededo's population was just under 45,000 in 2020. The village is loc ...

- 283 West Santa Barbara Avenue *

Merizo Malesso' (formerly Merizo) is the southernmost village in the United States territory of Guam. Cocos Island (Chamorro: Islan Dåno) is a part of the municipality. The village's population has decreased since the island's 2010 census. Malesso' is ...

- 376 Cruz Avenue *

Yona The word Yona in Pali and the Prakrits, and the analogue Yavana in Sanskrit and Yavanar in Tamil, were words used in Ancient India to designate Greek speakers. "Yona" and "Yavana" are transliterations of the Greek word for "Ionians" ( grc, � ...

- 265 Sister Mary Eucharita Drive The Agat and Dededo libraries were completed in 1968, the Barrigada Library was completed in 1970, the Merizo Library was completed in 1974, and the Yona Library opened in 1993. As well as having five branches and one main library, the system also reintroduced a bookmobile in 1990.

References

External links

Guam Public Library System
* Scott-Smith, Christine K.

" Guam Public Library. {{Hagåtña, Guam Buildings and structures in Guam Libraries in Guam Education in Guam Libraries established in 1949 1949 establishments in Guam State libraries of the United States

History

Branches

See also

References

External links