''For other
Carnegie Libraries, see
Carnegie library (disambiguation)''
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.]
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.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.
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
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Buildings and structures in Tampa, Florida
Carnegie libraries in Florida
Public libraries in Florida
Library buildings completed in 1914
1914 establishments in Florida