''For other Carnegie Libraries, see

Carnegie library (disambiguation) A Carnegie Library is a library built with money donated by Scottish-American businessman and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. Carnegie Library, Carnegie Public Library, Carnegie Free Library, Carnegie Free Public Library, Andrew Carnegie Library, ...

'' The West Tampa Free Public Library, more recently the West Tampa Branch Library, is a historic building in the West Tampa National Historic District in Tampa,

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

.County's oldest library a West Tampa treasure
April 22, 2011 Tampa Tribune It was the first public library in Hillsborough County, Florida when it opened on Main and Howard Avenue in 1914.Steele, K. (2011, April 27).West Tampa Library approaches century mark. Tampa Tribune, p. B20. The library is a historic link between the establishment of the City of West Tampa, the Cigar industry, and Latin and African-American communities. West Tampa was incorporated on May 18, 1895, with its population being nearly 3,000 and is considered one of Tampa's earliest suburban towns. In the period from 1900 to 1920, West Tampa saw enormous growth when its cigar factories were flourishing and commercial structures were being erected rapidly. It was Hillsborough County's only free public library until 1917. Construction of the Neoclassical revivalist style brick building was funded with a $17,500 grant from

Andrew Carnegie Andrew Carnegie (, ; November 25, 1835August 11, 1919) was a Scottish-American industrialist and philanthropist. Carnegie led the expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century and became one of the richest Americans i ...

. Residents voted in a special election to accept the donation and a yearly tax to pay for the library's operating costs. The vote was 352 to 1. Land for the library was donated by cigar factory owner Angel Cuesta. As a result of the high number of cigar factories in the area, the library had a Spanish-language reading section that cigar factory workers used frequently. English, Spanish, and Italian were spoken in the library because of West Tampa's ethnic diversity at that time. It is one of eleven Carnegie libraries built in Florida. The structure has been listed on the National Register Listing since 1983 and as a Local Historic Designation since 1988. The library is now a branch of the Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library System. Of the two Carnegie Libraries that originally opened in the Tampa area, the West Tampa Branch Library is the only one that is still open to the public. The library celebrated its centennial in January 2014.

Restoration and expansion

In 2004, the library completed a major renovation and expansion. This renovation made the historic library more accessible to everyone in the community and to allow for the addition of library materials and technology. The main floor became a second floor meeting room. An extension of 5,000 square feet was added to the back of the building, and what was once the basement level became the library's main reading room. It is now used as the West Tampa Branch Library, located at 2312 West Union Street. Land for the library building was donated by cigar factory owner Angel Cuesta. Decorations include stained glass and a

triptych A triptych ( ; from the Greek adjective ''τρίπτυχον'' "''triptukhon''" ("three-fold"), from ''tri'', i.e., "three" and ''ptysso'', i.e., "to fold" or ''ptyx'', i.e., "fold") is a work of art (usually a panel painting) that is divided ...

oil painting on canvas by artist Ferdie Pacheco titled ''Coming to Work, The Cigar Factory, Main Intersection'' is exhibited in the library's main foyer and a 2003 acrylic painting by Synthia St. James titled ''Kaleidoscope'' is located in the main reading room. As part of the library's 100th anniversary, it is taking part in the Library History Roadshow.

Services

In addition to books, magazines, DVDs, music CDs, and audiobooks, the library also offers meeting rooms, public use internet computers, access to electronic databases & eBooks, and a used book store. As with all libraries in the Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library system, the West Tampa Branch Library also offers printers, photocopiers, scanners, public fax service, free wi-fi, and assistive technology.

Friends of the Library

The West Tampa Branch Library is served by the Ada T. Payne Friends of the Urban Libraries group, a volunteer group that also serves the Robert W. Saunders, Sr. Public Library and the C. Blythe Andrews, Jr. Public Library. A Friends of the Library bookstore is located on site. Proceeds from book sales are used to fund programs for children, teens and adults and to support other library activities.

References

{{authority control Buildings and structures in Tampa, Florida Carnegie libraries in Florida Public libraries in Florida Library buildings completed in 1914 1914 establishments in Florida