Milwaukee Public Library - Central Branch, Milwaukee, WI
Posted by: 
LOST_Mom
N 43° 02.333 W 087° 55.346
16T E 424861 N 4765545
The Milwaukee Public Library Central Branch is located in downtown Milwaukee on W Wisconsin Ave between 8th & 9th Streets.
Waymark Code: WM2PQJ
Location: Wisconsin, United States
Date Posted: 12/02/2007
Views: 126
As stated on the website:
"The Milwaukee Public Library dates to 1878 when the State Legislature on Feb. 7 authorized the City to establish a public library. But the library can trace its lineage back further, to 1847 and the organization of the Young Men's Association, a subscription library which collected dues from its members. The group rented space for its library in a number of locations over the years and expanded into sponsoring a lecture series with such important speakers as Horace Mann, Horace Greeley and Ralph Waldo Emerson.
When it was established in 1878, the new public library took over the association's rented quarters and the group's collection of 10,000 volumes, many of them in German. After several moves and several fires, the library moved into a new, block-long limestone building at what is now 814 W. Wisconsin Ave. In 1898 it was known as Mozart's Grove, because it had been the site of summer concerts. A national competition was held to pick a design for a building to house both the public library and the public museum. Seventy-four entries were received, including an entry from Frank Lloyd Wright. The winning design was submitted by Ferry & Clas of Milwaukee. The winning design was for a building one block long and designed in a combination of French and Italian renaissance styles known as Neo-renaissance. The building was designed in a U-shape to provide a common entrance for the library and museum but to keep the facilities separate.Construction costs for the monumental building, now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, were $780,000.
The library opened on Oct. 3, 1898. It shared the building with the Milwaukee Public Museum until the museum completed its move to its own building on West Wells Street in the mid-1960s.
In 1957, an addition to the Central Library building was opened on the Wells Street side. It includes four fireproof levels of shelving below ground level."
The Central Branch also has an extensive children's library for children from birth through age 14. It is the largest in the state of Wisconsin with thousands of books, 30 computers, a puppet stage and a lighthouse the children can explore.
The Central Branch also has several special collections including, a Genealogy Collection, Photo Archives, a Great Lakes Marine Collection and more.
The Milwaukee Public Library offers free access to computers and the Internet at all library locations. They also have Free Spot Wireless Access.
Handicap Accessible Entrance is located near the corner on 8th Street and W Wisconsin Ave at:
N43 02.333
W087 55.313
Classification of Library: Public Library (Open to all)
Internet access available: Yes - Library Terminal: Register with Library Clerk to use
Hours of Operation:
Mon. - Wed. -- 9:00-8:30
Thu. - Sat. -- 9:00-5:30
Sun. -- 1-5 p.m. (Oct.-Apr.)
Approximate date of opening.: 02/07/1878
Library Website: [Web Link]
Additional Internet Connection Options: Not listed
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