Springfield-Greene County Library

Last updated
Springfield-Greene County Library
SpringfieldCarnegieLibrary.jpg
Midtown Carnegie Branch Library
LocationSpringfield, MO, United States
TypePublic
EstablishedMarch 12, 1905
Branches10
Collection
Size391,028
Access and use
Circulation3,498,928
Population served2,001,226
Other information
Budget$20,215,481 (2018-19) [1]
DirectorJim Schmidt (interim)
Websitewww.thelibrary.org

Springfield-Greene County Library District (SGCL) is a library system that operates in both Springfield, Missouri and Greene County, Missouri. Springfield and Greene County Libraries operated as separate entities until 1961, when the Greene County Library board began contracting services from the Springfield Public Library. Boards from both the Springfield Public Library and the Greene County Library decided that it would be more effective to operate as one entity and merged in 1971 becoming the Springfield-Greene County Library District.

Contents

The first library in the district was built with a grant from Andrew Carnegie in 1903 and served as the main district library until 1999 when the Library Center opened to accommodate district growth. The district is governed by a nine-member board of directors. Five of the members are appointed by the Springfield Mayor and the other four are appointed by the Greene County Commission for county representation. [2]

The district is funded primarily through county property taxes, grants, private gifts and funds from The Library Foundation along with proceeds from two semi-annual books sales by the Friends of the Library.

History

The construction of the first library was funded with a $50,000 contribution from Andrew Carnegie in 1903. It opened, as the Springfield Public Library, in 1905 with 700 books and an annual circulation of 8,657. [3] The building served as the main library for the Springfield Library-Greene County district until 1999. It underwent major renovations in early 2000 to convert it to a neighborhood branch to reflect the way it looked in the 1930s. At this time it was renamed the Midtown Carnegie Branch. [4]

In 1945, Ash Grove opened the Ash Grove City Library. The Greene County Library opened in 1951. In 1956, Ash Grove City Library became part of the Greene County Library. Finally in 1971, the Springfield Library and the Greene County Library merged to become the Springfield-Greene County Library system. [5]

Locations

The Springfield-Greene County Library District has 10 branches and a Mobile Library.

Five of the district's ten branches are located in Springfield these include:

The other five branches are located throughout Greene County

Services

The branches offer free WiFi on public computers, and comfortable, convenient places for study and exploration. The Library Center, the headquarters branch, includes a Local History & Genealogy Department used by genealogy researchers nationwide. The Edge Community Technology Center in the Midtown Carnegie Branch offers free, instructor-led and tutorial classes in computer and software skills. The Edge also has a 3-D printer and a Media Lab for audio and video production for the public. The Funding and Business Information Center houses sources of grant funding for entrepreneurs and nonprofits as a member of the national Foundation Directory Online. The Library also has dozens of online databases including a language learning system, sign language instruction, business research, newspapers and magazine articles on a variety of topics

Programs

Daily preschool storytimes focus on the district's signature early literacy program, Racing to Read, at the branches and offsite. ‘Tween and teen activities encourage creative expression; and all ages are welcome to the annual Summer Reading Program, live concerts, book discussions, live theater, art exhibits.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greene County, Missouri</span> County in Missouri, United States

Greene County is located in the U.S. state of Missouri. As of the 2020 census, its population was 298,915. making it the fourth most-populous county in Missouri. Its county seat and most-populous city is Springfield. The county was organized in 1833 and is named after American Revolutionary War General Nathanael Greene.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christian County, Missouri</span> County in Missouri, United States

Christian County is located in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Missouri. As of the 2020 census, its population was 88,842. Its county seat is Ozark. The county was organized in 1859 and is named after Christian County, Kentucky, it being named for William Christian, a Kentucky soldier of the American Revolutionary War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Springfield, Missouri</span> City in Missouri, United States

Springfield is the 3rd most populous city in the U.S. state of Missouri, after Kansas City and St. Louis, and the county seat of Greene County. The city's population was 169,176 at the 2020 census. It is the principal city of the Springfield metropolitan area, which had an estimated population of 487,061 in 2022 and includes the counties of Christian, Dallas, Greene, Polk, and Webster, The city sits on the Springfield Plateau of the Ozarks, which ranges from nearly-level to rolling hills. Springfield is the second-largest urban area in the Ozarks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">San Francisco Public Library</span> Public library system in California, US

The San Francisco Public Library is the public library system of the city and county of San Francisco. The Main Library is located at Civic Center, at 100 Larkin Street. The library system has won several awards, such as Library Journal's Library of the Year award in 2018. The library is well-funded due to the city's dedicated Library Preservation Fund that was established by a 1994 ballot measure. The Preservation Fund was renewed twice, by ballot measures in 2007 and 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Orleans Public Library</span> Public library system in New Orleans, Louisiana

The New Orleans Public Library (NOPL) is the public library service of the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pikes Peak Library District</span>

Pikes Peak Library District (PPLD) is a nationally recognized system of public libraries serving a population of more than 650,000 across 2,070 square miles in El Paso County, Colorado. Pikes Peak Library District has resources for children, teens, adults, and seniors. Library resources are available in multiple languages, large print, audio, video, and electronic formats.

Cuyahoga County Public Library (CCPL) has 27 branches that serve 47 communities in Cuyahoga County, Ohio. It was ranked the number one public library in the United States among libraries serving populations of more than 500,000 by the Hennen's American Public Library Ratings 2010. In 2009, more than 19 million items were borrowed by its 528,449 cardholders, and 7.6 million visits were made to branches.

The Greene County Public Library serves the communities of Greene County, Ohio. The library system's administrative offices are in Xenia, and other branches are located in Beavercreek, Cedarville, Fairborn, Jamestown, Bellbrook, and Yellow Springs. Greene County Library is a member of the Miami Valley Libraries, one of eleven regional library cooperatives in Ohio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jacksonville Public Library</span> Public library system in Florida

The Jacksonville Public Library is the public library system of Jacksonville, Florida. It primarily serves Jacksonville and Duval County merged areas, and is also used by the neighboring Baker, Nassau, Clay, and St. Johns Counties. It is one of the largest library systems in Florida, with a collection of over three million items. A division of the city government, the library has the third largest group of city employees after the city's Fire Department and Sheriff's Office. There are twenty branches and a Main Library in the system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Akron-Summit County Public Library</span> Library in Ohio, US

The Akron-Summit County Public Library is a public library system in Akron, Ohio. Founded in 1874, it operates the Main Library on South High Street and South Main Street in downtown Akron, 18 branch libraries throughout the city of Akron and Summit County, the Akron Art Library, the Project LEARN of Summit County Training Room, Mobile Services, and Project LEARN of Summit County. As of 2013, they have a lion cub mascot, named Paws.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oakland Public Library</span>

The Oakland Public Library is the public library in Oakland, California. Opened in 1878, the Oakland Public Library currently serves the city of Oakland, along with neighboring smaller cities Emeryville and Piedmont. The Oakland Public Library has the largest collection of any public library in the East Bay, featuring approximately 1.5 million items. It consists of a main library located in downtown Oakland, and 16 branch libraries throughout the city.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miami-Dade Public Library System</span> Public library system in Florida

The Miami-Dade Public Library System (MDPLS) is a system of libraries in Miami-Dade County, Florida.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toledo-Lucas County Public Library</span> Public library system in Ohio, U.S.

Toledo Lucas County Public Library is a public library system located in Toledo, Ohio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yuma County Library District</span> Library system in Arizona, US

The Yuma County Library District (YCLD) serves the population of Yuma County, Arizona. Today, the library district consists of a Main Library located in Yuma as well as 7 branch libraries, which are located in downtown Yuma, the Foothills, Somerton, San Luis, Wellton, Dateland, and Roll. The first Yuma Library, a Carnegie library, opened February 24, 1921 with 1,053 volumes and seating for 20 persons. Located in Sunset Park, the Yuma Carnegie Library underwent several expansions and renovations over the years, including a $4.2 million renovation completed in 2009. The Yuma Carnegie library still operates today as the Heritage Branch Library in downtown Yuma.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library</span> Public library system in Evansville, Indiana

The Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library (EVPL) is a public library system serving Evansville and Vanderburgh County in Indiana, USA. The EVPL also supplements the services provided by the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation and has the authority to approve the tax levy of the independently run and operated Willard Library.

The Tampa–Hillsborough County Public Library System (THPL) is a public library system based in Hillsborough County, Florida. THPL is part of two larger library networks, the Tampa Bay Library Consortium, and the Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative which includes Temple Terrace Public Library in Temple Terrace, Florida, and Bruton Memorial Library in Plant City, Florida. There are 33 branches of the Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative. Services provided by the THPL include internet access, public meeting room spaces, interlibrary loans, a Bookmobile, a Cybermobile for Spanish speakers, technology classes, adult literacy programs, and downloadable eBooks. Drive-thru windows for returns and hold pick-ups are located at the Jimmie B. Keel and the Jan Kaminis Platt Regional Libraries. In 2017, THPL introduced the new HAAL Pass, which gives access to certain library resources to all students in the Hillsborough County Public Schools System. Students use their student ID number to use different online databases, borrow up to three physical items and read eBooks. The Tampa–Hillsborough County Public Library System is also a part of Hillsborough County government. On January 1, 2018, the library cooperative became one of the largest in the country to go fine free. Overdue fees for borrowed materials were eliminated with the implementation of the "Just Bring It Back" initiative. In 2019 the cooperative received the FLA Library of the Year Award. Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library was recognized for its community focused initiatives as it "reorganized its staffing model and eliminated overdue fines, yielding $1 million in savings while increasing access to library resources and expanding opportunities for community engagement through unique, scalable programs."

The St. Petersburg Library System is a free public library system for residents of the city of St. Petersburg, Florida, located in Pinellas County. The St. Petersburg Library System is part of the Pinellas Public Library Cooperative and consists of 7 branch locations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Easton Area Public Library</span> Public library in Easton, Pennsylvania

The Easton Area Public Library serves Easton, Pennsylvania in Northampton County, Pennsylvania. It is a Carnegie library and was predated by a community library constructed by the Easton Library Company in 1811. With a grant in 1901 for $57,000 by industrialist Andrew Carnegie a new library began construction at 515 Church Street and was completed in 1903.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Athens Regional Library System</span> Public library system in northeast, Georgia, U.S.

The Athens Regional Library System (ARLS) is a consortium of 11 public libraries across five counties, comprising the Athens – Clarke County metropolitan area as well as Franklin County in northeast Georgia, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Main Library (Columbus, Ohio)</span> Columbus, Ohios main lending library

The Main Library of the Columbus Metropolitan Library (CML) system is located in Downtown Columbus, Ohio, United States. The public library is the largest in the library system and holds approximately 300,000 volumes. It includes numerous rooms, including separate spaces for children, teens, an adult reading room, newspaper room, auditorium, gallery, gift shop, and a cafe. The third floor includes a computer lab and houses the Franklin County Genealogical & Historical Society.

References

  1. ↑ "Library Board Approves Conservative 2018-2019 Budget". thelibrary.org. Retrieved 2019-09-14.
  2. ↑ "Library Board of Trustees". thelibrary.org. Retrieved 2018-01-12.
  3. ↑ "History of the Library". thelibrary.org. Retrieved 2018-01-11.
  4. ↑ O'Dell, Kathleen (October 31, 1999). "Main Library renovation coming next year". Springfield News Leader. ProQuest   911563801.
  5. ↑ "History of the Library". thelibrary.org. Retrieved 2018-01-12.
  6. ↑ "Library Locations and Hours". thelibrary.org. Retrieved 2018-01-11.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.