The main floor of the addition to the Tacoma Public Library's main branch features the periodicals area on the left and the reference desk on right near the Tacoma Avenue entry. The lighting was provided by Condon Company, Inc.

Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma); Public libraries--Tacoma;

Library employees are shown working at tasks on a winter evening in January, 1953. Rows of modern light fixtures and air conditioning units on ceilings help to provide a comfortable working environment. The new main library had recently opened at 11th and Tacoma Avenue South. Designed by architect Silas E. Nelsen and consulting architect Alfred M. Githens, the library was built by Dolph Jones, contractor, with the assistance of consulting engineers, Worthen & Wing. Groundbreaking occurred in March, 1951, and the cornerstone was laid in February, 1952. The Tacoma Public Library Main Branch was dedicated in November, 1952. Photograph ordered by General Electric.

Public libraries--Tacoma--1950-1960; Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma); Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma)--Employees; General Electric Co. (Tacoma); Silas E. Nelsen Architects (Tacoma);

Abundant lighting focuses attention to the many drawings on display in the Tacoma Public Library's Handforth Gallery in January, 1953. The gallery is named after Thomas Schofield Handforth, a noted local artist who specialized in painting, lithographs, sketchings and illustrations. He left much of his artwork to the Tacoma Public Library. Photograph ordered by General Electric.

Public libraries--Tacoma; Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma); Galleries & museums--Tacoma; Thomas S. Handforth Gallery (Tacoma); General Electric Co. (Tacoma);

The administrative offices of the Tacoma Public Library were located on the third floor of the newly built Main library at South 11th and Tacoma Avenue South. A photograph taken on January 16, 1953, shows the board room where the Board of Library Trustees met regularly. Writing materials were placed at each seat on the rectangular table. The chairs appear to have been made of leather. As in other sections of the library, air conditioning units and bright lighting were standard equipment. Thomas J. Porro was the president of the library board during this period, from 1945-1952. He was succeeded in 1953 by J.E. Burkey. Photograph ordered by General Electric.

Public libraries--Tacoma; Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma); Writing materials; Pens; Chairs; General Electric Co. (Tacoma);

An exhibition of photographs and artwork was sponsored by the American Institute of Steel Construction and held in the Tacoma Public Library's Handforth Gallery in mid-May, 1958. All displays dealt with structural steel in today's architecture, including an metal art piece created by Glen Alps, professor of art at the University of Washington, entitled "Contours." Photograph ordered by Bethlehem Pacific Coast Steel Corporation.

Exhibitions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Steel industry--Tacoma; Signs (Notices); Thomas S. Handforth Gallery (Tacoma); Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma);

ca. 1971. 1971 Richards color stock footage. View of the Tacoma Public Library, located at the corner of So. 11th & Tacoma Ave. So. The Carnegie Building, built in 1903 with funds donated by industrialist Andrew Carnegie, is center-left. It now holds the Special Collections including the Rare Book Room. The Main Library, with its Walker Wilkeson sandstone exterior, was built in 1952. It would be closed for remodeling in 1987 for nearly three years. In 2006 the Main Library is again undergoing remodeling with closure of the 11th St. entrance and several departments reorganized.

Public libraries--Tacoma; Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma);

John Boynton Kaiser, City Librarian, and Susie E. Taylor, a stenographer, sit at a work table in the City Librarian's office in the Tacoma Public Library, 1102 Tacoma Avenue South. As City Librarian, Mr. Kaiser was head of the Tacoma library staff from 1914 to 1924; the Library did not have a director at that time. During that time, for one year he was literary editor of the Tacoma Daily Ledger, signing his work "Diogenes." When the United States entered the first World War, he applied for war service, and served as a librarian at several army bases. He also amassed a large collection of posters, books and pamphlets published during the war. This space is still used for offices by the Library's Northwest Room staff. TPL-2876

Public libraries--Tacoma--1910-1920; Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma); Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma)--Employees; Librarians; Kaiser, John Boynton; Taylor, Susie;

ca. 1978. Northwest Room staff, Tacoma Public Library. From L-R are: Ethel Dobiash, Mila Liwanag, Linda Hipp and Roy Ketcheson. Seated is Jean Ross. They are posed before some of the more than 8000 books, pamphlets and government reports on the Pacific Northwest that are housed in the renovated Northwest Room located in the Carnegie Annex (Library). Access to the Northwest Room is through a hallway from the business, science and technology area of the Main Library's first floor. The Carnegie Annex was closed to the public in 1952 when the new Main Library was completed. Only the Fireside Room and auditorium have been used until the Northwest Room was opened. (TNT 5-23-73 -article; TNT 2-20-75-article)

Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma); Public libraries--Tacoma--1970-1980; Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma)--Employees; Dobiash, Ethel; Liwanag, Mila; Hipp, Linda; Ketcheson, Roy; Ross, Jean;

An unidentified young woman, dressed in a flowered calf-length frock, exits the Main branch of the Tacoma Public Library, 1102 Tacoma Ave So., in July, 1954. Book in hand, she has pushed open the glass door leading to the small foyer. There is an arrangement of music sheets and scales with a stringed instrument in the side display window. The new main library building had opened in 1952. Photograph ordered by the Crane Co.

Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma); Public libraries--Tacoma; Window displays--Tacoma--1950-1960; Women--Clothing & dress--Tacoma--1950-1960;

ca. 1954. There was ample space for meetings in the Carnegie Library building, a part of the Tacoma Public Library's Main branch. Rows of chairs face a semi-circle around the circular stage. An enormous skylight is situated directly above the stage. The room pictured here is now part of the library's Northwest Room; the skylight has been restored and is the room's focal point. The Northwest Room houses a large and extensive collection of northwest history in addition to genealogy resources. Photograph ordered by the Crane Co.

Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma); Public libraries--Tacoma--1950-1960; Skylights--Tacoma; Stages (Platforms); Auditoriums--Tacoma; Chairs;

Looking down storage bins, Tacoma Public Library Main branch. View down one long row of shelves.

Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma); Public libraries--Tacoma; Shelving;

ca. 1910. Staff of the Tacoma Public Library. Sepia picture taken in the library's Children's Room about 1910. A staff of almost all women sits at the round tables of the Children's Room. To the right appears to be a circulation desk. Franklin F. Hopper, the sole man in the photograph, was the librarian at that time. Other staff members were tentatively identified as Elena Claucey, Susan Crampton, Martha Snell, Hazel Esterbrook, Allene Nash, Izola Smith, Nell Unger, Jeanne Johnson, Emily Caskey, Leola Durkee, Hazel Erchinger, Jess Carson, Kate Firmin.

Public libraries--Tacoma--1910-1920; Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma); Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma)--Employees; Librarians; Hopper, Franklin F.;

In November of 1913 a large group of children gathered in the Order Department of the original Tacoma Public Library at 1102 Tacoma Avenue South to hear Miss Emily Caskey tell the tale of "The Little Jackal and the Alligator." Each Wednesday during the winter, stories were told to public school children up to 4th grade to cultivate in them an interest in books. The story hour was started by Miss Jessie Carson, head of the Children's Department in 1910. For each session, Miss Caskey selects two stories to tell, one a literary classic and the other more humorous. Although the library had a children's area, this story time was held in the much less ornate Order Department. Exposed pipes run along the ceiling and walls and light fixtures are utilitarian. (TDL 11/9/1913, pg. 41) TPL-4068

Public libraries--Tacoma--1910-1920; Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma); Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma)--Employees; Caskey, Emily; Book talks; Children--Tacoma--1910-1920;

ca. 1975. Librarians Lin Holverstott and Bob Pankl at General Services desk, Main Branch, Tacoma Public Library. At that time the library was divided into several departments and nearly each department had work desks in clear view of the library's patrons. Those with questions would proceed to the specific department for answers.

Holverstott, Lin; Pankl, Robert; Librarians; Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma); Public libraries--Tacoma--1970-1980; Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma)--Employees;

ca. 1975. Marile Creager in Lit. Dept., Main Branch, Tacoma Public Library. Mrs. Creager, pictured on the telephone, was named assistant director of the library in October of 1975.

Creager, Marile; Librarians; Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma); Public libraries--Tacoma--1970-1980; Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma)--Employees;

ca. 1975. Anne Heller in Literature Dept., Main Branch, Tacoma Public Library. Mrs. Heller (now Seago) later became the supervisor of Quick Information and manager of Technical Services. Retired, she was on the library's Board of Trustees.

Heller, Anne; Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma); Public libraries--Tacoma--1970-1980; Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma)--Employees;