{"id":1903,"date":"2023-07-11T07:04:18","date_gmt":"2023-07-11T12:04:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dallas1.one\/?p=1903"},"modified":"2023-07-11T07:04:20","modified_gmt":"2023-07-11T12:04:20","slug":"establishment-of-the-citys-first-public-library","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dallas1.one\/en\/eternal\/establishment-of-the-citys-first-public-library-1903","title":{"rendered":"Establishment of the city&#8217;s first public library"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The idea of creating a public library belonged to the Dallas Federation of Women&#8217;s Clubs, namely Mrs. May Dickson, who was the head of the organization. The city had multiple libraries at the time, but they were all fee-based. Many activists believed that the establishment of a free public library could contribute to the city&#8217;s development and reputation. May Dickson was the main force behind the implementation of this idea, and she worked tirelessly to make it happen. Continue reading at <a href=\"https:\/\/dallas1.one\/\">dallas1.one<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_74 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a0ba757600b8\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a0ba757600b8\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/dallas1.one\/en\/eternal\/establishment-of-the-citys-first-public-library-1903\/#Fundraising_and_construction\" >Fundraising and construction<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/dallas1.one\/en\/eternal\/establishment-of-the-citys-first-public-library-1903\/#Extension_of_the_library\" >Extension of the library<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/dallas1.one\/en\/eternal\/establishment-of-the-citys-first-public-library-1903\/#Introduction_of_the_bookmobile\" >Introduction of the bookmobile<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/dallas1.one\/en\/eternal\/establishment-of-the-citys-first-public-library-1903\/#Renovating_the_library\" >Renovating the library<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/dallas1.one\/en\/eternal\/establishment-of-the-citys-first-public-library-1903\/#Modern_structure\" >Modern structure<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Fundraising_and_construction\"><\/span>Fundraising and construction<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.dallas1.one\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/50\/2023\/06\/imwoyigplitjmm0vsdtpck_jlx3e2onqemzyekcwkhc_lzlmhnwmv0ej0wk5vst-_d6az-s_deb7f8of4qobpw54qdhqvr-olgputrvdoo917kh3iawuddkiooy2hhxtaqc8a7zatlgmzm1jzs1dxre.png\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Many public leaders and activists have come together to address the issue of missing availability of a free library. According to an article published in the Dallas Morning News, the absence of a free library confused tourists and humiliated residents of the city. Soon after, the newspaper, with the help of Dallas philanthropists and ordinary citizens, raised about $12,000 for the library&#8217;s construction in a matter of a few months. Mrs. Dickson also sought assistance from American steel magnate Andrew Carnegie, who made a $50,000 contribution to the project.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dallas&#8217; first public library opened on October 22, 1901, in a two-story facility on the junction of Commerce and Harwood streets. The ground floor housed a book collection of 9,852 volumes, while the second floor housed Carnegie Hall and the art room, which also served as Dallas&#8217; first public art gallery and subsequently evolved into the contemporary Dallas Museum of Art.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Extension_of_the_library\"><\/span>Extension of the library<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The Dallas Carnegie Public Library was in high demand from the start, and within a few years, it needed to expand. Then, in 1914, the Oak Cliff Branch opened in the city, thanks to the financial support of the same philanthropist, Andrew Carnegie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even while the country was going through hard times, the library&#8217;s development persisted. When the Great Depression hit in the 1930s, the library established four new branches, including the Paul Laurence Dunbar Library, the first to serve Dallas&#8217; African-American community. Another branch was the Sanger Library, which largely served the Jewish population living in South Dallas at the time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Introduction_of_the_bookmobile\"><\/span>Introduction of the bookmobile<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.dallas1.one\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/50\/2023\/06\/v3eaug2wzsovde09d81m1prdqkljcmbdnwgydaado_ueliuyedr05k_frcxcqbg3aa0hqvxwi7gwpn3gc_jtubieafhzlvdo_fs1yxdmcchah9mluxpqghgawzxkrohe-pihm_uqu8ttxxpgalkixau.png\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The first bookmobile for the library was purchased by the Dallas Federation of Women&#8217;s Clubs. The vehicle was used to carry books between branches as well as to deliver books to locations where citizens did not have access to the library.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By 1950, a local activity group had created an organization named Friends of the Dallas Public Library to help the library&#8217;s operations. A few months later, this organization acquired a second bookmobile. They also launched a successful campaign to raise funding for a new library in the city center. Another initiative was to establish a separate storage facility for expensive and rare books.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Renovating_the_library\"><\/span>Renovating the library<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.dallas1.one\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/50\/2023\/06\/gm5jyqddrewwrrlsdoaaskg2ov_qv2hl2e866gxsgiywdiuhcat8dchpqzqcxr-knob340x9o-mpj4gmwvzyuxeaar_4y4foifcg1lt1f8zg5iuzjjimrgwdb9p5x17u-fgw2obswm0f586f-hkmdzo.png\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In 1954, the original Carnegie Library was taken down owing to its poor condition, and a contemporary six-story structure with 433,000 books was erected in its place. During construction, the library was temporarily relocated to the city&#8217;s Union Station train depot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Modern_structure\"><\/span>Modern structure<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In 1972, the city allocated a 114,000-square-foot site for the construction of a new Central Library, which opened in 1982. It was one of the country&#8217;s first libraries to offer an online file system. Following that, the STAR computer system was developed, allowing users to access a range of electronic databases as well as the Internet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 1986, the library was renamed the Jon Erik Jonsson Central Library in honor of the former mayor who played an important role in its establishment.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The idea of creating a public library belonged to the Dallas Federation of Women&#8217;s Clubs, namely Mrs. May Dickson, who was the head of the organization. The city had multiple libraries at the time, but they were all fee-based. Many activists believed that the establishment of a free public library could contribute to the city&#8217;s [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":333,"featured_media":1834,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1166],"tags":[1293,1289,1298,1297,1291,1295,1296,1294,1290,1292],"motype":[1158],"moformat":[83],"moimportance":[78,81],"class_list":{"0":"post-1903","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-education","8":"tag-allowing-users-to-access-a-range-of-electronic-databases-as-well-as-the-internet","9":"tag-establishment-of-the-citys-first-public-library","10":"tag-fundraising-and-construction","11":"tag-may-dickson-was-the-main-force-behind-the-implementation-of-this-idea","12":"tag-modern-structure","13":"tag-namely-mrs-may-dickson","14":"tag-the-idea-of-creating-a-public-library-belonged-to-the-dallas-federation-of-womens-clubs","15":"tag-the-library-was-renamed-the-jon-erik-jonsson-central-library","16":"tag-the-original-carnegie-library-was-taken-down-owing-to-its-poor-condition","17":"tag-the-star-computer-system-was-developed","18":"motype-eternal","19":"moformat-vlasna","20":"moimportance-golovna-novina","21":"moimportance-retranslyacziya-v-agregatori"},"modified_by":"Inna Hananova","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dallas1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1903","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dallas1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dallas1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dallas1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/333"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dallas1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1903"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/dallas1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1903\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1904,"href":"https:\/\/dallas1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1903\/revisions\/1904"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dallas1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1834"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dallas1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1903"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dallas1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1903"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dallas1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1903"},{"taxonomy":"motype","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dallas1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/motype?post=1903"},{"taxonomy":"moformat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dallas1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moformat?post=1903"},{"taxonomy":"moimportance","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dallas1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moimportance?post=1903"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}