West Tampa Free Public Library

For other Carnegie Libraries, see Carnegie library (disambiguation)

West Tampa Free Public Library
General information
Architectural style Neoclassical Revivalist
Address 2312 W. Union St.
Town or city Tampa, Florida
Coordinates 27°57′28″N 82°29′00″W / 27.957741°N 82.483256°W / 27.957741; -82.483256
Opened 1914
Renovated 2004
Website
http://www.hcplc.org/hcplc/locations/wtp/

The West Tampa Free Public Library is a historic building in Tampa, Florida.[1] It was the first public library in Hillsborough County, Florida when it opened on Main and Howard Avenue in 1914.[2] It was Hillsborough County’s only free public library until 1917.[3] Construction of the Neo-classical revivalist style brick building was funded with a $17,500 grant from Andrew Carnegie.[1] Residents voted in a special election to accept the donation and a yearly tax to pay for the library's operating costs. The vote was 352 to 1. Land for the library was donated by cigar factory owner Angel Cuesta.[4] It is one of eleven Carnegie libraries built in Florida.[2] The structure has been listed on the National Register Listing since 1983 and as a Local Historic Designation since 1988.[5]

The library is now a branch of the Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library System.

Restoration and expansion

In 2004, the library completed a major renovation and expansion. The main floor became a second floor meeting room. An extension of 5,000 square feet was added to the back of the building, and what was once the basement level became the library's main reading room.[2] It is now used as the West Tampa Branch Library, located at 2312 West Union Street. Land for the library building was donated by cigar factory owner Angel Cuesta. Decorations include stained glass and a triptych oil painting on canvas by artist Ferdie Pacheco titled Coming to Work, The Cigar Factory, Main Intersection is exhibited in the library's main foyer and a 2003 acrylic painting by Synthia St. James titled Kaleidoscope is located in the main reading room.[6] As part of the library's 100th anniversary, it is taking part in the LIbrary History Roadshow.[7]

References

  1. 1 2 County's oldest library a West Tampa treasure April 22, 2011 Tampa Tribune
  2. 1 2 3 Steele, K. (2011, April 27). West Tampa Library approaches century mark. Tampa Tribune, p. B20.
  3. ↑ Scherzer, A. (2011, June 10). West Tampa library digs for memories. Tampa Tribune, p. B2.
  4. ↑ Angel Cuesta's Legacy Reaches to Spain
  5. ↑ City of Tampa Local Historic Landmarks
  6. ↑ West Tampa Library Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative
  7. ↑ The Library History Roadshow Kicks Off at West Tampa Branch Library on April 16th! March 2, 2011 Library History Roadshow
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