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This task was completed over three weeks, using twelve steel rollers and a team of twelve men, moving the building an average of ten feet per day. The city allocated $ 18,498 for the construction of the new building, and in 1905, Andrew
Carnegie donated $ 260,000 to the City Library Association to assist with the Central Library construction, as well as three additional branches. These included the Springfield
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Springfield
Library Company ran a private library, which had been founded as early as 1796 and contained over 300 volumes. The City Library Association provided a room in City Hall to be used as a library, although it was still privately funded until 1885, when a city appropriation removed all fees. Private donations and gifts totaling $ 100,000 allowed for the creation of a
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City library employees, who are unionized, picketed the
Central Library in July, 2023 to protest inaction in construction of a crosswalk on State Street, where the Central branch is located. The pickets were a response to the death of librarian Gayle Ball, who was struck and killed by a driver while
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By 1892, the
Library had outgrown the building, and plans began to construct a new library building. In order to provide continuous library service to Springfield residents during the construction, Charles R. Trask was hired to move the original building 200 feet to make space for the new building.
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In 1857, the City
Library Association was formed in Springfield in response to the 1851 Massachusetts Public Library Law, which authorized cities and towns to establish and maintain public libraries, as well as an 1855 petition by residents requesting funding for a library. Prior to this, the
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In 1974, the
Central Library was put on the National Register of Historic Places. The Indian Orchard Branch was added to the Register in 1999. Major renovations at the Central Library were completed in 2019 to improve accessibility, replace the gutter system, and install an outdoor plaza.
216:. A trestle designed by city librarian Hiller C. Wellman was used to transport books from the old building to the new one, and the branch officially opened on January 10, 1912. The library claims to be one of the first to feature open shelving, and to circulate
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as child, and the
Springfield Memorial Square branch, now used as a Greek cultural center. With an additional $ 155,000 contributed by Springfield residents, construction on the Central Library began in April 1910 for a
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not-for-profit corporation, helping to support the purchase of books and materials, facility improvements, and staff development initiatives.
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162:. The system includes ten branches across the city, with the Central branch located at 220 State Street, next to
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building, located on the corner of State Street and
Chestnut Street. The land was donated by
511:"Springfield City Library employee Gayle Ball killed by car while crossing State Street"
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style and opened in 1909, as well as the Forest Park
Library, frequently visited by
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In 2005, the
Springfield Library Foundation was formed and incorporated as a
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485:"Springfield officials call for action on State Street safety"
459:"Springfield librarians picket for State Street crosswalk"
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Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives
408:"Springfield Central Library Renovations Completed"
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Public library system in Springfield, Massachusetts
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294:"Springfield Public Library, Springfield Mass"
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379:"Indian Orchard Branch, Springfield Library"
542:Libraries in Hampden County, Massachusetts
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509:Johnson, Patrick (November 12, 2021).
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406:Tuthill, Paul (October 9, 2019).
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483:Shook, Ashley (July 21, 2023).
457:Foster, James (July 23, 2023).
292:Strahan, Derek (June 3, 2014).
158:is a public library system in
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412:WAMC Northeast Public Radio
212:style building designed by
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272:Springfield Public Library
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40:Springfield, Massachusetts
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437:Springfield City Library
268:"History of the Library"
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22:Springfield City Library
383:New England Carnegies
351:"Forest Park Library"
330:New England Carnegies
326:"Springfield Library"
197:Indian Orchard Branch
355:Seuss in Springfield
210:Renaissance Revival
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518:. Retrieved
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489:WWLP 22 News
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181:George Bliss
177:Gothic-style
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64:Architect(s)
112:$ 6,381,951
88:Circulation
55:Established
536:Categories
520:August 24,
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442:August 24,
417:August 24,
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360:August 24,
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239:References
218:phonograph
220:records.
125:Employees
515:MassLive
463:MassLive
144:/library
117:Director
75:Branches
36:Location
229:501(c)3
170:History
133:Website
99:154,789
91:390,965
109:Budget
50:Public
522:2023
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