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;
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. 1975. Carolyn Wesley in General Services Dept. Main Branch, Tacoma Public Library. Ms. Wesley is perusing an article on new chemical plants that has been clipped out of the local newspaper. She and fellow staff member Judy Wilkins (not pictured) had spent many hours clipping and filing items of interest to Tacoma readers.
Wesley, Carolyn; Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma); Public libraries--Tacoma--1970-1980; Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma)--Employees; Clippings;
ca. 1975. Judy Wilkins in General Services Dept., Main Branch, Tacoma Public Library. Staff member Judy Wilkins points out a location on a relief map in this circa 1975 color photograph. Mrs. Wilkins later joined the Quick Information telephone reference department. A documents specialist, she was still with the library 35 years later.
Wilkins, Judy; Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma); Public libraries--Tacoma--1970-1980; Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma)--Employees;
ca. 1975. Librarians Jack Rasmussen and Karen (Goettling) Kelley in Lit. Dept., Main Branch, Tacoma Public Library. Mrs. Kelley was a former Daffodil Festival Queen.
Rasmussen, Jack; Kelley, Karen; Goettling, Karen Jane; Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma); Librarians; Public libraries--Tacoma--1970-1980; Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma)--Employees;
ca. 1975. Sadie Uglow in Fine Arts Dept, Tacoma Public Library. The Fine Arts Department was located on the second floor of the Main Library. Each department had large signs clearly defining its specialty. After retiring from Tacoma Public, Miss Uglow would become the librarian for the Tacoma Art Museum.
Uglow, Sadie; Librarians; Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma); Public libraries--Tacoma--1970-1980; Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma)--Employees;
ca. 1975. Sue Connolly in General Services Dept., Main Branch Tacoma Public Library. Mrs. Connolly later became part of the library's Quick Information telephone reference staff.
Connolly, Susan; Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma); Public libraries--Tacoma--1970-1980; Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma)--Employees;
ca. 1975. Miss Elfriede Gudelius, Head of General Services Dept., Main Branch, Tacoma Public Library. Staff member Sue Connolly is seated on the left.
Gudelius, Elfriede; Librarians; Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma); Public libraries--Tacoma--1970-1980; Connolly, Susan; Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma)--Employees;
ca. 1975. Librarian Sumi Takahasi in Business, Science and Technology Dept., Main Branch, Tacoma Public Library. At that time the Main Library was separated into various departments including General Services, Literature, Fine Arts and Business, Science & Technology.
Takahasi, Sumi; Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma); Public libraries--Tacoma--1970-1980; Librarians; Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma)--Employees; Japanese Americans--Tacoma;
ca. 1975. Sue Connolly at General Services desk, Main Branch, Tacoma Public Library. Mrs. Connolly, in purple sweater, is assisting a pair of patrons at the desk. Seated at the Information desk is Rosa McClatcher, who also manned the switchboard.
Connolly, Susan; McClatcher, Rosa; Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma); Public libraries--Tacoma--1970-1980; Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma)--Employees;
ca. 1975. Karen (Goettling) Kelley in Literature Dept., Tacoma Public Library. A smiling Mrs. Kelley is obtaining information over the telephone in this circa 1975 photograph.
Kelley, Karen; Goettling, Karen Jane; Librarians; Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma); Public libraries--Tacoma--1970-1980; Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma)--Employees;
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;
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);
The American Institute of Steel Construction sponsored an exhibition in the Tacoma Public Library's Handforth Gallery on structural steel in architecture. Photographs and sculptures were on display in mid-May, 1958. View of portion of Handforth Gallery, bright fluorescent lighting was aided by the use of small spotlights further illuminating the photographs on the wall. Photograph ordered by Bethlehem Pacific Coast Steel Corporation.
Exhibitions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Steel industry--Tacoma; Thomas S. Handforth Gallery (Tacoma); Tacoma Public Library (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);
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. Directly below an enormous circular skylight is a matching circular stage. Both were located in the Tacoma Public Library's Main Branch circa 1954. This auditorium was located in the library's older Carnegie Building portion and was used for public and staff meetings. The skylight has since been beautifully restored and a focus point in what is now the library's Northwest Room which houses special collections including Northwest history, Genealogy, and a Rare Book Room.
Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma); Public libraries--Tacoma--1950-1960; Skylights--Tacoma; Stages (Platforms); Auditoriums--Tacoma; Chairs;
ca. 1954. An elevated view of what may be the basement of the Tacoma Public Library was taken possibly in the summer of 1954. There are rows of shelving, most filled with books and manuals. This may be the reference section of the basement. Photograph ordered by the Crane Co.
Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma); Public libraries--Tacoma; Bookstacks--Tacoma; Books;
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;
The main entrance of the Tacoma Public Library's new addition separated the receiving counter on the left from the charging counter on the right. BU-11803
Public libraries--Tacoma; Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma);
Patrons visiting the Tacoma Public Library's new Main branch were fortunate to be able to view collections of artwork in the Thomas S. Handforth Gallery. Mr. Handforth, a Guggenheim Fellow, left many pieces of his art to the library. The art gallery was named in his honor. View of Handforth Gallery with mounted artwork. Photograph ordered by General Electric.
Galleries & museums--Tacoma; Thomas S. Handforth Gallery (Tacoma); Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma); Public libraries--Tacoma; General Electric Co. (Tacoma);
Howard M. Rowe was the Tacoma Public Library Director at the time that the new Main library on South 11th and Tacoma Avenue South was built in the early 1950's. He is pictured working at his desk in this January, 1953, photograph. Mr. Rowe was appointed to replace Aubrey F. Andrews who had died in November of 1950 and assumed his new position in mid-January of 1951. He had been the chief librarian for the city-county library in Santa Barbara, California prior to his coming to Tacoma. His administrative offices were located on the third, and top, floor of the Main library. Besides having the boardroom nearby, there was a long, rectangular table in Mr. Rowe's office which was used for meetings with library personnel. Photograph ordered by General Electric. (TNT 1-12-51, p. 4-article on Mr. Rowe's arrival in Tacoma)
Public libraries--Tacoma--1950-1960; Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma); Rowe, Howard M.; Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma)--Employees; General Electric Co. (Tacoma);
A Tacoma Public Library employee can barely be seen at the end of long stacks of books in the Main library's basement. Bright fluorescent lighting helps the worker find the necessary items. It appears that he may be shelving in the documents/reference section. Photograph ordered by General Electric.
Public libraries--Tacoma; Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma); Books; Bookstacks--Tacoma; General Electric Co. (Tacoma);
The Main branch of the Tacoma Public Library had a very well equipped Fine Arts department in the 1950's. Patrons pictured in this January, 1953, photograph enjoy the department's resources on the library's second floor. Large plate glass windows in addition to numerous light fixtures help provide more-than-adequate lighting. The Main library on Tacoma Avenue South was dedicated in November, 1952. Photograph ordered by General Electric.
Public libraries--Tacoma; Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma); General Electric Co. (Tacoma);
The main floor of the new addition to the Tacoma Public Library's main branch provided several tables and chairs for reading near the periodicals area. The Tacoma Avenue entrance is seen along the left beyond the periodicals.
Public libraries--Tacoma; Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma); Tables; Chairs;
