Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library
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The Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library is a public library located in Topeka, Kansas. It serves all of Shawnee County, Kansas with the exception of the Rossville, Kansas and Silver Lake, Kansas townships. The Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library is a municipal taxing district authorized by Kansas law. It is governed by a board of trustees consisting of ten members.
The library offers many services to the public including homebound delivery, bookmobile services, a homework help center, 177 public computers, meeting rooms, extensive programming and an art gallery.
[edit] History
The Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library was founded in 1870 when the Ladies' Library Association met to start a library. It was not until March of 1871 that the doors of the Library finally opened in the Keith & Meyers Dry Goods Store. In 1883, the library opened its first permanent building. Edward Wilder, Secretary-Treasurer of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway and President of the Library Board, convinced the Union Pacific Railroad and the AT&SFRR to jointly fund a building for the library on the State House grounds.
In 1953, the library opened its new building at the corner of 10th and Washburn. In 1970, the Library expanded at its current location in celebration of its centennial. In 1996, voters approved a $23 million expansion project. Michael Graves was retained by the architectural firm to be the design architect. A groundbreaking took place in 1998 for the expansion. The Library opened its doors on January 27, 2001.
Former directors include Horace Moses, James Marvin and David L. Leamon. The library's auditorium is named after James Marvin and the Library's Circulation Lobby is named after David Leamon. The Special Collections area contains the Moses Collection.
