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Tacoma's Carnegie Library
Photography
Collection, Tacoma Public Library
Welcome to the Tacoma Public
Library!
 There is hardly an institution in Tacoma that affects
more lives than the Tacoma Public Library. As one of the most important
educational and cultural institutions in the city, the Tacoma Public Library is
an essential resource for hundreds of thousands of people. Educators. Children.
Students. Professionals. Small business owners. Persons with disabilities.
Parents and families. Artists. Community leaders. Scholars. The elderly.
Everybody.
Why do
people visit the Tacoma Public Library? For pleasure; to enrich their lives; to
become inspired; and to learn and grow.
The city's 90,000 square foot downtown Main Library,
renovated and enlarged in 1991, includes the first Carnegie Library built in
the state (opening in 1903). Nine branch libraries - eight of which were
renovated and enlarged through a $15.8 million Library Construction Bond passed
in 1984 - are scattered throughout the city's thriving neighborhoods and
include two large regional branch libraries.
Over 1.43 million people visited the Tacoma
Public Library in 1997. The Library has a collection of 1.18 million items (not
including government documents); and in 1997 had a circulation of 2.33 million
items. Library staff answered 426,977 reference reference questions (87,500
through the Quick Information telephone reference services). 64,579 persons
attend one of the 3,890 community meetings held in the library’s free
meeting rooms.
A snapshot of the Library in 1998 would
reveal:
- Expansion and enhancement of the
Library’s computerized resources and library-developed local history
databases. Today, patrons can quickly and easily research the history of their
home and learn more about the city’s rich maritime industry; read about
the people and events that shaped the development of the Pacific Northwest from
primary source material readily available in a variety of searchable databases.
- Completion of both a Long-Range
Capital Needs study and a Strategic Plan which together create a blueprint for
the Library's future growth and development. Regular community forums provide
ongoing opportunities for city residents to become more involved in their
libraries.
- Public Internet and WWW access at
the Main Library and all branch libraries.
- A dynamic series of programs and
booksignings featuring local, regional and national authors of books for
children and adults.
- Active growing programs for
children and families, including reading clubs, outreach to new parents,
homeschooling workshops and successful collaborations with the local school
district.
- Exciting business and community
partnerships that expand resources and programs, enabling the Tacoma Public
Library to offer such events as Picturing Hong Kong, a intriguing look
at this international city through photographs from 1855 - 1910. The Library
was the only west coast site for this unique exhibition which was coupled with
business workshops, lectures and other programs. The six-week exhibition drew
more than 6,000 visitors from throughout the Pacific Northwest.
The Tacoma Public Library is governed by a five-member
Board of Trustees, appointed to a five-year term of office by the city’s
Mayor, and confirmed by members of the Tacoma City Council.
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