Columbus Metropolitan Library Sesquicentennial

[ music ] >> OPEN TO ALL.

BACK IN 1873, SOME OF THE FOUNDATION DOCUMENTS TALKED ABOUT THE LIBRARY BEING OPEN TO EVERY CITIZEN IN COLUMBUS.

IT WAS SO IMPORTANT, THEY DECIDED TO CARVE IT IN STONE.

AND IT IS ONE OF OUR CORE VALUES TODAY.

AND SO IT'S JUST REALLY BAKED INTO OUR PHILOSOPHY THAT THIS IS A PLACE WHERE EVERYONE IS WELCOME, EVERYONE IS GOING TO GET A LEVEL OF RESPECT AND SERVICE THAT SPREADS ACROSS THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.

>> IN THE 19th CENTURY, THE IDEA OF A FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY OPEN TO EVERYONE IN THE CITY WAS NOT A COMMON THING LIKE WE THINK OF TODAY.

BEFORE THE CIVIL WAR, THERE WERE SEVERAL EFFORTS IN COLUMBUS TO START A PUBLIC LIBRARY.

THERE WAS THE PRENTISS GROUP THAT TRIED TO START A SUBSCRIPTION LIBRARY IN 1831.

THAT LASTED FOR A FEW YEARS.

THE ATHEN UPLASTED UNTIL THE CIVIL WAR STARTED.

1871, THERE WERE A GROUP OF COLUMBUS RESIDENTS WHO GOT TOGETHER AND DECIDED TO MAKE A REQUEST TO CITY COUNCIL FOR A PUBLIC LIBRARY.

THEY PLANNED THEIR REQUEST, AND IN 1872 WENT TO CITY COUNCIL, AND CITY COUNCIL PASSED THE ORDINANCE FOR A PUBLIC LIBRARY THAT WOULD BE FREE AND OPEN TO THE WHOLE POPULATION OF THE CITY.

AND ON MARCH 4th, 1873, THE COLUMBUS METROPOLITAN LIBRARY OPENED IN THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF CITY HALL.

CITY HALL AT THAT TIME WAS WHERE THE OHIO THEATER IS TODAY.

THEY WERE ABLE TO OPEN WITH ABOUT 3,000 BOOKS AND 96 MAGAZINE AND NEWSPAPER SUBSCRIPTIONS.

JAMES GROVER WAS NAMED THE FIRST LIBRARIAN.

HE WAS A PASTOR AT FIRST EPISCOPAL CHURCH AND THE NAMESAKE OF AUTHOR JAMES GROVER THURBER.

WE HAVE LIBRARY CARD ENTRY WHERE JAMES THURBER, THE AUTHOR, GOT HIS FIRST LIBRARY CARD.

AND HE CAME BACK AS AN ADULT AND UPGRADED TO AN ADULT LIBRARY CARD.

PEOPLE WERE SO EXCITED TO HAVE THE PUBLIC LIBRARY IN CITY HALL THAT FIRST THEY HAD TO EXPAND THE HOURS, THEN THEY HAD TO HIRE ADDITIONAL STAFF.

THE SECOND STAFF PERSON TIRED WAS JOHN PUGH, WHO EVENTUALLY BECAME THE DIRECTOR AND OUR LONGEST-SERVING EMPLOYEE OF 65 YEARS.

THEY WENT BACK TO CITY COUNCIL BY 1896 AND ASKED FOR ADDITIONAL SPACE.

SO THEY WERE GIVEN ANOTHER ROOM IN CITY HALL THAT BECAME THE FIRST DEDICATED CHILDREN'S AREA.

EVEN WITH ALL OF THAT, THE BUILDING WAS STILL OVERFLOWING WITH PEOPLE AND BOOKS.

SO IT WAS CLEAR THAT A NEW STANDALONE LIBRARY WAS NEEDED.

THE BOARD APPROACHED JOHN PUGH WITH THE TASK OF BUILDING A NEW STANDALONE LIBRARY.

JOHN PUGH DECIDED TO REACH OUT TO THE INDUSTRIALIST ANDREW CARNEGIE TO ASK FOR FUNDS FOR A LIBRARY.

>> PEOPLE UNDERSTAND JUST THE PHRASE CARNEGIE LIBRARY.

I THINK AT THE END OF ANDREW CARNEGIE'S LIFE, HE REALLY UNDERSTOOD HE HAD AMASSED A FORTUNE.

I THINK HE WAS INTERESTED IN A LEGACY.

AND JUST REALLY THOUGHT THAT THE PEOPLE THAT WORKED IN THE MILLS AND OTHERS NEEDED THIS DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTION AND IT WAS MISSING IN SO MANY PLACES.

SO IT WAS REALLY HIS THOUGHT ABOUT HOW PEOPLE COULD RISE UP, AND HE LANDED ON THE IDEA OF THE PUBLIC LIBRARY FOR THAT PURPOSE.

>> PUGH FIRST WROTE TO CARNEGIE.

CARNEGIE BY THAT TIME WASN'T REALLY KEEN ON FUNDING URBAN LIBRARIES.

HE REALLY WANTED SMALL-DOWN LIBRARIES.

HE WROTE BACK SORT OF A LUKEWARM LETTER.

SO JOHN PUGH DECIDED HE WAS GOING TO NEW YORK AND HAVE A MEETING WITH ANDREW CARNEGIE.

SO HE WENT TO NEW YORK.

THE MEETING WASN'T REALLY GOING THAT WELL.

AND THEN THEY GOT ON THE TOPIC OF THEIR SHARED EXPERIENCE AS SONS OF IMMIGRANTS.

ANDREW CARNEGIE CAME OVER FROM SCOTLAND AS A YOUNG BOY, AND JOHN PUGH ACTUALLY GREW UP IN WHAT WAS CALLS WALES ALLEY.

A FEW MONTHS LATER, ON DECEMBER 31st, 1901, THE LETTER WAS RECEIVED THAT ANDREW CARNEGIE HAD DECIDED TO FUND THE LIBRARY AT THE COST OF $150,000.

ANDREW CARNEGIE'S GIFT ACTUALLY CAME WITH THREE RESTRICTIONS.

ONE WAS THAT THE CITY OF COLUMBUS WOULD FUND THE MAINTENANCE FOR THE BUILDING.

THAT THEY WOULD PURCHASE THE LAND FOR THE BUILDING.

AND THAT THE WORDS "MY TREASURES ARE WITHIN" WOULD BE ON THE EXTERIOR OF THE BUILDING.

SO CITY COUNCIL QUICKLY PASSED THE ORDINANCE FOR THE MAINTENANCE.

THAT WAS NO PROBLEM.

THE WORDS "MY TREASURES ARE WITHIN," NO PROBLEM.

BUT THE LAND BECAME AN ISSUE.

BY THAT POINT, MOST OF THE CORE OF COLUMBUS HAD BEEN FILLED IN.

THERE WEREN'T A LOT OF SPACES.

THOMAS EWING OFFERS TO DONATE THE LAND, 96 SOUTH GRANT AVENUE.

IT CURRENTLY SERVED AS THE OHIO GOVERNOR'S MANSION.

WEATHERFORD B. HAYES HAD STAYED THERE.

AT THAT POINT IT WAS A LITTLE FURTHER AFIELD FROM DOWNTOWN THAN PEOPLE WANTED SO THERE WAS A LITTLE CONTROVERSY AROUND THAT.

BUT IT WAS JUST THE RIGHT SIZE OF LAND, SO THAT WAS THE SPACE THAT WAS CHOSEN.

THE NEXT STEP WAS HIRE AN ARCHITECT.

THEY CHOSE ALBERT ROSS, WHO HAD ACTUALLY BUILT SEVERAL CARNEGIE LIBRARIES ALREADY.

MOST NOTABLY, THE CARNEGIE BUILDING DID WASHINGTON, D.C.

IT TOOK FOUR YEARS TO BUILD THIS BUILDING.

MIDWAY IN WHEN THEY WERE READY TO PUT THE FACADE ON THE BUILDING, THOUGH, THEY REALIZED THEY WANTED TO MAKE A CHANGE.

SO THE ORIGINAL PLAN FOR THE BUILDING WAS GOING TO BE A PRETTY SPRIL-LOOKING BRICK BUILDING.

AND THEY DECIDED THEY WANTED THE BUILDING TO BE MORE INSPIRATIONAL.

SO THEY DECIDED TO UPGRADE TO VERMONT MARBLE.

SO THEN IT WAS UP TO JOHN PUGH TO WRITE BACK TO ANDREW CARNEGIE AND REQUEST $50,000.

CARNEGIE WROTE BACK IN A TELEGRAM RIGHT AWAY AND AGREED AND SAID THAT HIS VISION WAS ABSOLUTELY FOR THIS KIND OF INSPIRATIONAL BUILDING.

THE GROUNDBREAKING WAS MARCH 22nd, 1903.

SO ON THAT OPENING DAY, IT WAS RAINY, TURNED INTO SLEET AT ONE POINT.

TWO OF THE SPEAKERS COULDN'T MAKE IT.

STILL A WONDERFUL DAY FOR THE CITY OF COLUMBUS.

THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE SHOWED UP AND GOT THEIR LIBRARY CARDS.

ONE OF THE REALLY INTERESTING STORIES OF THE EARLY COLUMBUS LIBRARY BUILDING WAS THAT IT WAS NOT ONLY A LIBRARY.

WE HOUSE THE COLUMBUS MUSEUM OF ART BEFORE IT HAD ITS OWN BUILDING ON BROAD STREET.

AT ONE POINT WE ALSO WERE THE HOME TO THE FRANKLIN COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, WHICH TODAY WE KNOW AS COSI.

WE HAD GROUPS THAT WOULD UTILIZE THE LIBRARY IN TIMES OF CRISIS.

WHEN THE CITY HALL BUILDING BURNED, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND CITY COUNCIL MOVED INTO WHAT WAS THE AUDITORIUM IN THE BASEMENT OF MAIN LIBRARY.

DURING THE 1913 FLOOD, THE LIBRARY SERVED AS A PLACE FOR FAMILIES WHO HAD BEEN DISCONNECTED FROM EACH OTHER TO RECONNECT.

LIBRARIANS KEPT A ROLL TO CONNECT PEOPLE.

IT WAS ALSO A PLACE FOR PEOPLE WHO HAD LOST THEIR HOMES OR THEIR HOMES WERE FLOODED TO COME TOGETHER AND GET SERVICES THEY NEEDED TO BE ABLE TO REBUILD.

DURING WORLD WAR II, THE LIBRARY SERVED AS THE CIVILIAN INFORMATION CENTER.

THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A PLACE NOT ONLY TO GET INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN THE WAR, BUT ALSO TO CHECK AND SEE WHO HAD BEEN KILLED IN ACTION THAT DAY, IF THAT WAS YOUR FAMILY MEMBER, YOU WOULD COME TO THE LIBRARY AND THERE WOULD BE A LIST.

ALMOST AS SOON AS THE CARNEGIE LIBRARY OPENED, IT BECAME CLEAR THAT BRANCH LIBRARIES WERE NEEDED.

THERE WERE SO MANY PEOPLE THAT WERE COMING TO THE MAIN LIBRARY THAT THERE WAS CONGESTION ON GRANT AVENUE.

THERE WERE REPORTS IN THE NEWSPAPER THAT YOU COULDN'T EVEN FIND A HITCHING POST FOR YOUR HORSE AT CERTAIN TIMES OF THE DAY.

THEN WORLD WAR I BREAKS OUT.

KIND OF ENDS THAT CONVERSATION FOR A WHILE.

BY 1928, THERE WAS AGAIN ANOTHER CITIZEN-LED EFFORT TO START THINKING ABOUT BRANCH LIBRARIES.

AND IT WAS ACTUALLY THE FEDERATION OF WOMEN'S CLUBS, WOMEN, WHO GOT TOGETHER, MARCHED DOWN TO CITY HALL, AND ASKED CITY COUNCIL FOR BRANCH LIBRARIES IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.

A COUPLE OF WEEKS LATER, CITY COUNCIL PASSED THAT ORDINANCE AND THE FIRST FOUR BRANCHES WERE ESTABLISHED.

THEY WERE CLINTONVILLE, LINDON, PARSONS, AND HILLTOP.

DURING THE GREAT DEPRESSION, WE WERE ABLE TO EXPAND FURTHER OUT IN THE COUNTY THROUGH WHAT WE CALLED COUNTY STATION LIBRARIES.

SO THESE WERE SMALL LIBRARY DEPOSITS, MAYBE 500, 1,000 BOOKS.

THEY WOULD BE IN SCHOOLS OR FIREHOUSES.

THESE EVENTUALLY BECAME SOME OF OUR NEXT BRANCHES IN THE BRANCH LINEUP.

KAHANNA, REYNOLDSBERG, KILLYARD, DUBLIN.

AFTER WORLD WAR II, COLUMBUS BEGINS TO EXPAND EXPONENTIALLY.

YOU START TO SEE THE GROWTH OF THE SUBURBS.

IT BECAME CLEAR YET AGAIN THIS CARNEGIE MAIN LIBRARY WAS NOT GOING TO BE LARGE ENOUGH FOR THE CITY OF COLUMBUS.

THERE WERE A SEER REESE OF EXPANSIONS TO THE BUILDING.

MOSTLY THOSE EARLY EXPANSIONS HOUSED BOOKS AND STAFF OFFICES.

BY THE 1980s, THOUGH, EVEN THAT WAS NOT GOING TO BE ENOUGH.

SO WE EMBARKED ON A NEW BUILDING CAMPAIGN THAT BASICALLY SET UP THE FOOTPRINT OF THE LIBRARY THAT YOU SEE TODAY WITH THE NEW ADDITION TO THE BACK OF THE CARNEGIE LIBRARY AND THE ADDITIONAL SPACE THAT THAT OFFERS.

>> WHEN YOU THINK OF 150 YEARS AND A LIBRARY BEING FUNDED EIGHT YEARS AFTER THE CIVIL WAR, BUT THEN GOING THROUGH SO MUCH OF WHAT THIS COUNTRY HAS EXPERIENCED DURING THAT TIME, THE ROARING '20s, THE GREAT DEPRESSION.

NOT ONE PANDEMIC THAT WE ALL KNOW OF BUT TWO PANDEMICS.

TWO WORLD WARS.

THE UPRISING OF THE 1960s.

THE LIBRARY WAS ALWAYS HERE TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY IN WHATEVER WAS HAPPENING RELATED TO THEIR INFORMATION NEEDS.

AND I THINK THAT'S SUCH AN IMPORTANT LEGACY.