Old Strathcona Branch (Edmonton Public Library)
 |
|
 |
|
| Established | 1913 |
|---|---|
| Location | 8331 104 Street NW Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6E 4E9 |
| Coordinates | 53°31′12″N 113°29′51″W / 53.5199°N 113.4976°WCoordinates: 53°31′12″N 113°29′51″W / 53.5199°N 113.4976°W |
| Branch of | Edmonton Public Library |
| Website | http://www.epl.ca/about-epl/branches-and-hours/strathcona-branch |
The Old Strathcona Branch, one of the oldest libraries in Alberta, completed in 1913, was the first library erected in the City of Edmonton. Nevertheless, the Strathcona Library does have a complex background as to its historical status within the Edmonton Public Library system. It is located on 104th Street, a block off of Whyte Avenue in the heart of Old Strathcona. Situated next to Wilbert McIntyre Park, the iconic Old Strathcona Gazebo, and the year-round Old Strathcona Farmer's Market, the Old Strathcona Branch is often a central gathering area for much of the local community. During the annual Edmonton International Fringe Festival in the surrounding area, the Old Strathcona Branch often hosts a large booksale to help shift aging and excess material from Edmonton Public Library's circulation.
In 1897, the Strathcona Library Society was formed, with the idea to build a public library in the young city of Strathcona. In 1910, a petition from citizens was eventually presented to the city council, officially requesting the construction of the library. The city quickly bought up the land for $6,250 from a local farmer, and organized the Strathcona Library Board. The American philanthropist Andrew Carnegie eventually offered the city $15,000 to build a small, standardized library. However, the board did not feel this would provide the library they were hoping to build, and they declined Carnegie's offer. Costs for the new library were eventually paid for as part of the agreement when Strathcona and Edmonton amalgamated in 1912.
Construction began in 1912, and the new library was opened on March 13, 1913 by ex-Strathcona Mayor John Joseph Duggan and Edmonton Mayor William Short. Final cost of the library was approximately $27,000. The library was popular upon opening, and boasted an impressive circulation for the size of Edmonton at the time. The first minor renovation was completed in 1948, which converted the original men's-only reading room in the basement into a children's library.
The post-WWII years, however, saw a sharp decline in usage as Edmonton rapidly expanded outward in the post-war boom, and Old Strathcona began to fall into disrepair and decline. The completion of the much larger and more modern Stanley A. Milner central library downtown in 1967 further perpetuated this decline. By the late 1960s, the aging and poorly maintained building began to require significant upkeep costs. The director of Edmonton Public Library attempted to close the branch in 1970. Although the closure was defeated by public opposition, the structural decline of the building meant the second floor could no longer support the weight of books, and the branch's collection and hours of operation were severely cut.
...
Wikipedia