ca. 1904. The Tacoma Public Library, built with funds from industrialist Andrew Carnegie, was dedicated in 1903. The stacks area, where most of the Library's books were shelved (shown at the rear of the picture,) was "closed," meaning that the librarian retrieved books for the patron. The librarians worked behind the wooden, windowed structure at the rear center of the picture much like tellers in a bank. Pictured in the foreground is the top of the white Vermont marble staircase. Above can be seen the decorative stained glass dome. Graceful Ionic columns support the high ceilings. The original glass dome was damaged in the 1949 earthquake. In 1952, a new main library was built adjoining the Carnegie building and the older building was used for storage and meeting rooms. A 5.1 million dollar renovation in 1990 remodeled the newer building and restored the Carnegie Library. This room is now home to the Library's NW Room/ Special Collection Department.

Public Libraries--Tacoma; Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma);

ca. 1952. Work is almost complete on the 1952 Main branch of the Tacoma Public Library. To the left is the Carnegie Library, a Renaissance structure built in 1903 from a design by Jardine, Kent and Jardine and with funds donated by industrialist Andrew Carnegie. To the right is the Main Library, built in 1952 from a design by Silas E. Nelsen. Construction is ongoing on the three floor structure. To the rear of the library soar the memorable spires of the Romanesque Pierce County Courthouse at 1012 So. "G" St. The building was built in 1892 along grandiose lines. It was demolished in 1959 to provide space for a parking lot for the new County City building. To the left of the Courthouse, you can glimpse the Tacoma Vocational School (now Bates), built in 1941 at 1101 Yakima Ave., and the Washington National Guard Armory, built in 1908 at 715 So. 11th St. The large building in the back and to the right of the library is the Central Lutheran Church at 1001 So. "G" St. The church, built in 1889 as the First Presbyterian Church, was demolished to make room for the County City building.

Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma); Public libraries--Tacoma--1950-1960; Building construction--Tacoma--1950-1960; Pierce County Courthouse (Tacoma); Central Lutheran Church (Tacoma);

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;

ca. 1978. Northwest Room staff, Tacoma Public Library. Mila Liwanag, Linda Hipp, Roy Ketcheson and Ethel Dobiash (l-r) posed for a group portrait in the renovated Northwest Room located in the old Carnegie Annex (Library) ca. 1978. Mr. Ketcheson and Ms. Hipp had been hired for a federally funded sorting and indexing project of old photographs, glass plates and negatives. Most of these had been taken by two well-known local photographers: Marvin D. Boland and Chapin Bowen. There were about 100,000 items including numerous wide-angle and panorama pictures of old Tacoma and early residents. (TNT 3-07-76 -article)

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