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. 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. 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);

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. 1904. Interior of Tacoma Public Library. Originating in Grace Moore's South Tacoma home in 1886 from the donated volumes of 18 women friends, Puget Sound's first circulating library grew towards this ornate structure. In 1893, the 2,000 volumes in Mrs. Moore's Mercantile Library were given for free to the city of Tacoma as a public library. The library was housed in a series of buildings until it moved to City Hall. In 1901, the Reverend Calvin Stewart, a Presbyterian minister, obtained for the city a promise of $75,000 from industrialist Andrew Carnegie for the construction of a library. The donation was made on the condition that the city provide a suitable site and $7,500 yearly in maintenance. Tacoma would soon have the 85th Carnegie library built in the United States and the first in the state of Washington. It was designed by the New York architectural firm of Jardine, Kent and Jardine in the Renaissance style. The building featured a grand staircase of White Vermont marble, an ornate copper clad dome, decorative ceiling stenciling, Ionic columns and high ceilings. It was dedicated June 4, 1903. At the rear of the photograph behind the columns is the public reading room, the area is now occupied by the rare book room. To the right is the wooden structure that housed the librarian, who retrieved books from the closed stacks behind them. Potted plants and ornate lighting fixtures complete the opulent setting. ("A History of Pierce County Washington" volume 3, pg. 99)

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

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.;

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. 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. 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. 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. 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. Librarian Randy Rafferty in Business, Science & Technology Dept., Main Branch, Tacoma Public Library.

Rafferty, Randy; Librarians; Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma); 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. Librarian Clayton Kirking in Fine Arts Dept., Main Branch, Tacoma Public Library.

Kirking, Clayton; Librarians; Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma); Public libraries--Tacoma--1970-1980; Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma)--Employees;

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. 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. 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. 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. 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. Librarian Bob Pankl at General Services Dept. desk, Main Branch, Tacoma Public Library.

Pankl, Robert; 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;

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. 1951. Excavation work started soon after the late March, 1951, groundbreaking for the new Tacoma Public Library located at 1102 Tacoma Ave. So. Trucks are pictured above removing dirt and debris from the site. The original Main Library is directly next to the excavation site. It would be used for meetings and storage after the new library was completed in 1952 and not reopened for general library use until 1978.

Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma); Public libraries--Tacoma--1950-1960; Excavation--Tacoma--1950-1960; Trucks--Tacoma--1950-1960;

ca. 1951. Buildings on 11th St. across from future Tacoma Public Library circa 1951. These structures would eventually vanish, making way for the new County-City Building. In the foreground are three dump trucks and an earthmover that were photographed on the excavation site for the new Tacoma Public Library, 1102 Tacoma Ave. So. After many decades and much discussion, the Main Library was expanding from the original Carnegie Library to a more spacious, accommodating building. Groundbreaking had occurred in March of 1951 and the library would be completed and finally dedicated in November of 1952. BU-11779

Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma); Public libraries--Tacoma--1950-1960; Excavation--Tacoma--1950-1960; Trucks--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Mrs. Joyce Ferguson, an employee at the Tacoma Public Library, was photographed in August of 1947 sitting behind the wheel of the library's new Plymouth wood panel station wagon. The new vehicle was purchased to be used to transport books and other library materials from one branch library to another. The library director, Aubrey F. Andrews, stated that any book in the library could be requested at any branch or station. If the book was not available at the local library, it would be secured and routed as soon as possible. The station wagon would also be used, as time permitted, to supply small collections of books to groups holding meetings or exhibits. (TNT 8-16-47, p. 2) TPL-217, TPL-9820

Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma); Public libraries--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma)--Employees; Ferguson, Joyce; Plymouth automobile;

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;

Dedication of new Main Library. Tacoma Mayor John Anderson addresses an overflowing crowd of more than 4,000 at the grand opening of the new addition to the Tacoma Public Library. The library opened its doors on Sunday, November 2, 1952, for two hours so that visitors might be able to tour the various departments, all of which would be open and staffed. It had overgrown the old library building (now called the Carnegie Building) and the new $1,250,000 structure would provide more space for employees and room for more books. Several other dignitaries would be present for the dedication including principal speaker University of Washington president Dr. Henry Schmitz, College of Puget Sound president R. Franklin Thompson, Temple Beth Israel Rabbi Bernard D. Rosenberg, architect of the project Silas E. Nelsen, and Library Board president Thomas J. Porro. (TNT 11-2-52, A-1 article; TNT 11-3-52, A-1 article)

Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma); Public libraries--Tacoma; Building dedications--Tacoma--1950-1960; Anderson, John H.; Mayors--Tacoma--1950-1960;

On November 2, 1952, Architect Silas E. Nelsen addressed a crowd estimated at 4,000 or more at Sunday dedication ceremonies for the new Tacoma Public Library at 1102 Tacoma Ave. So. He presented the building to the City of Tacoma and Mayor John Anderson (obscured by microphone) who in turn gave the keys to the building to TPL Board President Thomas J. Porro. After the dedication ceremony concluded, the crowd was invited to stay and tour the facility.

Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma); Public libraries--Tacoma--1950-1960; Nelsen, Silas E.; Building dedications--Tacoma--1950-1960; Crowds--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Dedication of the new Main Library. The Tacoma Public Library had rare Sunday hours on November 2, 1952, as the new addition to the Main Library was officially dedicated. More than 4,000 visitors were crammed in the new structure to view ceremonies and later tour the building. Architect Silas E. Nelsen (seated, second from left) presented the building to the city and Mayor John Anderson (seated center, third from left) in turn gave the keys to the building to Tacoma Public Library Board President Thomas J. Porro (seated, extreme right). Dr. Henry Schmitz, president of the University of Washington, was the principal speaker. He is seated next to Mayor Anderson. Rabbi Bernard D. Rosenberg (far right, second row) of Temple Beth Israel gave the invocation while Dr. R. Franklin Thompson, president of the College of Puget Sound, gave the benediction. Dr. Thompson is standing next to Rabbi Rosenberg. Also pictured above was Library director Howard M. Rowe (standing, extreme left.) (TNT 11-2-52, A-1-article; TNT 11-3-52, A-1-article)

Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma); Public libraries--Tacoma--1950-1960; Anderson, John H.; Mayors--Tacoma--1950-1960; Schmitz, Henry; Porro, Thomas J.; Rowe, Howard M.; Rosenberg, Bernard D.; Thompson, R. Franklin, 1908-1999; Nelsen, Silas E.;