Houston Public Library

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Houston Public Library is the public library system serving Houston, Texas, United States.

Contents 1 History 2 Locations 2.1 Neighborhood libraries 2.1.1 Former locations 2.2 Partnership libraries 2.3 HPL Express locations 2.4 HPL Mobile Express 3 Gallery 4 References 5 External links

[edit] History

This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (January 2009)

It can trace its founding to the Houston Lyceum in 1854. After a large contribution from Andrew Carnegie it was chartered as the Houston Lyceum and Carnegie Library.^{[citation needed]}

Houston's first public library facility opened on March 2, 1904.^[1] Julia Ideson was named its first librarian. The building constructed as Houston's Central Library in 1926 was later named in her honor. The name was changed to Houston Public Library in the 1920s.^{[citation needed]}

The library system now consists of 35 neighborhood libraries; including four regional libraries; the Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research, located in the Museum District; and the Central Library, located Downtown. Central Library, often incorrectly called the "Downtown Library", consists of the Julia Ideson Building and the Jesse H. Jones Building (1976). The Jones Building was designed by Seth Irvin Morris.^[2] The Jones Building closed for renovations on Monday April 3, 2006.^[3] It reopened May 31, 2008.^[4]

Additions in the 2000s include McGovern-Stella Link Neighborhood Library (2005), HPL Express Southwest (2008),^[5] and HPL Express Discovery Green (2008).^[6] A new building for Looscan Neighborhood Library opened in 2007, replacing a 1956 structure.^[7]

[edit] Locations

[edit] Neighborhood libraries

In addition to the Central Library and Clayton Library, there are 35 neighborhood libraries, including four regional libraries, all located within the city of Houston.^[8]

• Acres Homes Neighborhood Library (Acres Homes)
• J. S. Bracewell Neighborhood Library
• Carnegie Neighborhood Library
• Everett Collier Regional Library
• Amanda E. Dixon Neighborhood Library
• Fifth Ward Neighborhood Library (Fifth Ward)
• Patricio Flores Neighborhood Library (Second Ward)
• Eleanor K. Freed-Montrose Neighborhood Library (Neartown)
• Heights Neighborhood Library (Houston Heights)
• David M. Henington-Alief Regional Library (Alief)
• Arnold L. Hillendahl Neighborhood Library (Spring Branch)
• W. L. D. Johnson Neighborhood Library (Sunnyside)
• J. Frank Jungman Neighborhood Library (Uptown)
• Belle Sherman Kendall Neighborhood Library (Memorial)
• Lakewood Neighborhood Library
• Adele Briscoe Looscan Neighborhood Library (River Oaks)
• Frank O. Mancuso Neighborhood Library
• Eva Alice McCrane-Kashmere Gardens Neighborhood Library (Kashmere Gardens)
• John P. McGovern-Stella Link Neighborhood Library (Braeswood Place)
• Lucile Y. Melcher Neighborhood Library
• George B. Meyer Neighborhood Library (Meyerland/Westbury)
• Nettie Moody Neighborhood Library
• Oak Forest Neighborhood Library (Oak Forest)
• Park Place Regional Library (Park Place)
• Pleasantville Neighborhood Library (Pleasantville)
• Elizabeth L. Ring Neighborhood Library (Spring Branch)
• Judson W. Robinson-Westchase Neighborhood Library (Westchase)
• Scenic Woods Regional Library (Scenic Woods)
• Lonnie E. Smith Neighborhood Library (Third Ward)
• Nena Stanaker Neighborhood Library
• Sherman E. Stimley-Blue Ridge Neighborhood Library (Blue Ridge)
• Cliff Tuttle Neighborhood Library (Denver Harbor)
• William A. Vinson Neighborhood Library
• M. E. Walter Neighborhood Library (Sharpstown)
• Alice McKean Young Neighborhood Library (Palm Center, near South Park)

[edit] Former locations

• Colored Carnegie Library (Opened 1912, became HPL branch in 1921, officially closed on July 31, 1961, demolished 1962 and replaced with an extension of Clay Avenue)

[edit] Partnership libraries

In addition, HPL has a partnership with the Harris County Public Library's Clear Lake City-County Freeman Branch Library in the Clear Lake City community of Houston.

Also, the Parent Resource Library in the Children's Museum of Houston is considered part of the Houston Public Library system; however, its staff are employed by the museum, rather than the City of Houston.

In partnership with the Harris County Public Library, which will operate the branch, the Kingwood Branch in Kingwood is slated to become a "City-County" branch in exchange for 4.2 million dollars to fund the building of a new 35,000-square-foot (3,300 m²) facility. At the time of its completion, the existing branch will be converted into a community center.^[9]

[edit] HPL Express locations

HPL Express locations are library facilities located within existing buildings.^[10] Each express location contains three areas: one book center, one computer center, and one classroom facility.^[11]

Express locations:

• HPL Express Discovery Green
• Morris Frank Library, an HPL Express Location (Fondren Southwest) - Located in a 12,000-square-foot (1,100 m²) section of the first floor of the Brays Oaks Towers.^[12]
• HPL Express Southwest (opened in fall 2007)^[11]
• HPL Express Vinson (opening fall 2009) - Located in a 42,000-square-foot (3,900 m²) facility in the South Post Oak Multi-Service Center, adjacent to the new Vinson Neighborhood Library ; the total library facility will be double the size of the original Vinson facility.^[13]

[edit] HPL Mobile Express

The HPL Mobile Express is a mobile computer training laboratory.^[14]

[edit] Gallery

Oak Forest Neighborhood Library

W. L. D. Johnson Neighborhood Library

Moody Library

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Houston Public Library Web site
• Houston Public Library on Facebook
• Love the Look, Miss the Escalators: Houston Public Library Central Branch Reopens at Houston Press