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St. Petersburg Public Library

St. Petersburg Public Library
St. Pete Mirror Lake Library02.jpg
Mirror Lake Library is located in Florida
Mirror Lake Library
Mirror Lake Library is located in the US
Mirror Lake Library
Location St. Petersburg, Florida
Coordinates 27°46′29″N 82°38′26″W / 27.77472°N 82.64056°W / 27.77472; -82.64056Coordinates: 27°46′29″N 82°38′26″W / 27.77472°N 82.64056°W / 27.77472; -82.64056
Architectural style Beaux-arts
NRHP Reference # 86001259
Added to NRHP June 13, 1986


The St. Petersburg Public Library (also known as the Mirror Lake Community Library or Carnegie Library) is a Carnegie library built in 1915 in Beaux-Arts style. It was one of 10 Florida Carnegie libraries to receive grants awarded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York from 1901 to 1917. Steel magnate and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie provided funding for more than 3,000 Carnegie libraries in the United States, Canada, and Europe. The library is significant to the city's history as the first permanent home of the public library system and embodies the transformation of the city in the second decade of the twentieth century from a pioneer village to a city with viable cultural institutions.

When the city was awarded the $17,500 grant in 1913, it was the culmination of a five-year pursuit by Councilman Ralph Veillard, W.L. Straub, owner of the St. Petersburg Times, and Annie McCrae, who became the first secretary of the library. The grant was approved by the city, and the site on the banks of the city Reservoir (now Mirror Lake) was chosen on July 17, 1914.

The Mirror Lake Community Library is built in the Beaux-Arts style, with sculptural decoration along conservative modern lines, slightly overscaled details, bold sculptural supporting consoles, rich deep cornices, swags and sculptural enrichments. The Beaux- Arts style heavily influenced the architecture of the United States in the period from 1880 to 1920. The building's architect, Henry D. Whitfield worked for the Carnegie Corporation and designed this library, as well as many other Carnegie libraries in this style.

The Junior League presented the city with their first Bookmobile in February 1949.

On June 13, 1986, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.

Mirror Lake Community Library was St. Petersburg’s only library until the current Main library was built at 3745 9th Avenue in 1964.


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