Tampa Free Library

For other Carnegie Libraries, see Carnegie library (disambiguation)

Old Tampa Free Public Library
Location 102 E. Seventh Ave., Tampa, Florida
Coordinates 27°57′37″N 82°27′38″W / 27.96028°N 82.46056°W / 27.96028; -82.46056Coordinates: 27°57′37″N 82°27′38″W / 27.96028°N 82.46056°W / 27.96028; -82.46056
Area less than one acre
Architect Fred J. James
Architectural style Classical Revival
NRHP Reference # 91000618[1]
Added to NRHP May 16, 1991

The Old Tampa Free Public Library (also known as the Exceptional Children Education Center) is a historic library in the Tampa Heights neighborhood of Tampa, Florida. Located at 102 E. 7th Avenue, it was one of 10 Florida Carnegie libraries to receive grants awarded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York from 1901 to 1917.[2] It was designed by Tampa architect Fred J. James and constructed from 1915-1917. It was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on May 16, 1991.

Steel magnate and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie provided funding for more than 3,000 Carnegie libraries in the United States, Canada, and Europe.[3] The library was built using a $50,000 grant from Carnegie. The library's first director was Helen V. Stelle.

It was Tampa's main library until 1968. It includes a T-plan, masonry, brown and yellow brick atop a rusticated granite basement, and is topped by a barrel tile roof. It has been known as the Old Tampa Free Public Library, the Exceptional Children Education Center, and has been occupied by the administrative staff of the Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library System since November 2016.[4]

The building was rehabilitated in 1999 by the City of Tampa for public offices.[5]

References

  1. ↑ National Park Service (2010-07-09). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
  2. ↑ Jones, Theodore (1997). Carnegie Libraries Across America. New York: John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 0471144223.
  3. ↑ Bobinski, George (1969). Carnegie Libraries: Their History and Impact on American Public Library Development. American Library Association. ISBN 0-8389-0022-4.
  4. ↑ "Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn eyeing changes at site of downtown library annex".
  5. ↑ "Tampa Free Public Library". Retrieved 11 October 2013.


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