From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Cedar Rapids Public Library
Cedar Rapids Public Library
Coordinates: 41°57′10″N 91°43′06″W / 41.952833°N 1903, the library chose Ely corner at Third Avenue and
91.718248°W / 41.952833; -91.718248 The Cedar Rapids Fifth Street as the future site of the Carnegie library. On
Public Library (CRPL) serves the city of Cedar Rapids, June 23, 1905, the new library was open.[6][5]
Iowa. It currently consists of two locations. The "West" The years to follow were filled with a variety of
location, in the lower level of Westdale Mall, is currently strategies to expand services within the town and be-
the main branch. There is also a temporary downtown yond. In 1910, E. Joanna Hagey became the librarian. She
branch in the Armstrong building. The library works in was the driving force behind the extension work for
cooperation with the Marion Public Library and Hi- nearly three decades. Books were brought to schools,
awatha Public Library to form the Metro Library Net- drug stores, and workplaces for extra convenience. Sur-
work. rounding townships had contracted for library ser-
The Iowa flood of 2008, considered by FEMA to be vices.[7] By 1928, six library stations were in operation.
"one of the worst and most costly floods in Iowa--and In 1930 there was a new Kenwood Park station, the first
even U.S. history,"[1] had destroyed over half of the li- branch building owned by the library.[6]
brary’s collection.[2] The flooding of the library may have During the Great Depression, circulation had reached
been the worst natural disaster to affect a public li- record highs for the library. Beginning in 1933, the circu-
brary.[3] Plans are underway for the construction of a lation began to fall as it had for other libraries across the
new library at the former TrueNorth site across from nation. Everything started to normalize towards the end
Green Square Park. It is expected to open by summer of the ’30s. In 1940 there were 15 people staffing the li-
2013.[4] brary. The head librarian, who had replaced Hagey at the
end of 1939, was Miss Alice Story. Another librarian that
would later have a lasting effect on the library and the
community, Evelyn Zerzanek, worked under Miss Story
as the head librarian of the school and the children’s de-
partment.[6]
Evelyn Zerzanek worked hard to not only get books
into children’s hands, but also to think for themselves
and be creative. Under her direction, the summer read-
ing programs and story times had increased in populari-
ty.[8] Evelyn also loved children’s book illustrations. She
started a collection that would grow to over 850 original
paintings and drawings.[9]
In the early 1950s, two bookmobiles were purchased
Current location at Westdale Mall that had replaced all of the stations. Together they would
make twelve stops each week at regular locations. In-
History stead of many rented stations, the library now consisted
of the two bookmobiles, the Kenwood Park station, and
On March 2, 1896 the city of Cedar Rapids was to make a the main building.[10]
vote on whether or not they would have a public library. Crowding became a pressing issue for the library
Due largely to the work of a group of women called the throughout the ’60s. Much of the material had to be
City Federation of Ladies Literary Clubs led by Ada Van stored in the basement. New materials had to be turned
Vechten, the vote was favorable. On January 15, 1897, the away due to the space restrictions. In 1969, the library
first public library was to open its doors to the citizens of proposed to expand the current building and to establish
Cedar Rapids. It was located in a small room of the Gran- a west-side branch. It failed to reach 60% voter ap-
by building.[5] proval.[11] In 1971, a branch was established on Edge-
After a few years, the library had outgrown the room. wood Road NW. The first two of three bookmobiles were
It was moved to the Dows auditorium in May 1900. An- retired by 1972.[6]
drew Carnegie was contacted in late January 1901 to re- For the next twelve years, the library would be un-
quest money to construct a dedicated library building. He successful at securing a majority vote. The library had
agreed to give $75,000 if the town would pledge $7,500 in changed its proposal from remodeling the library to con-
taxation annually to support the maintenance. In early structing a new facility during that time. In 1981, the Hall
1
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Cedar Rapids Public Library
Foundation offered over 25% of the $7.9 million bond is- http://www.fema.gov/news/
sue if the city would pay the remainder, but again, the newsrelease.fema?id=48472. Retrieved 10
60% voter approval would not be met. About four months November 2011.
later, the Hall Foundation of Cedar Rapids offered to pay [2] "Iowa Flood Stories 2008: Cedar Rapids". Iowa
$6.8 million over the next ten years on the condition that Public Television. http://www.iptv.org/
the Library Foundation, established in 1972, could obtain iowajournal/story.cfm/396/feature. Retrieved 11/
$1 million in private donations. By the end of Septem- 6/2011.
ber, $1.3 million in private contributions had secured the [3] "Library Supporters Persevere". The Gazette. 27
amount necessary to move forward with the plans for a February 2009.
new library.[6] [4] "Construction Update". Cedar Rapids Public
The new library at 500 First Street SE opened on Fe- Library. http://connect.crlibrary.org/category/
bruary 17, 1985. The floor space of the new building was construction-update/. Retrieved 6 November 2011.
83,000 square feet compared with 29,000 square feet in [5] ^ Clements, Ralph (1967). Tales of the Town: Little-
the Carnegie building. Space issues were not the reason Known Anecdotes of Life in Cedar Rapids. Stamats
for moving as they had been in the past. The flood of 2008 Publishing Company. pp. 105–106.
had taken out much of the adult and reference collec- [6] ^ Brown, Janet (1996). The First 100 Years: 1896-1996.
tions. The children’s books on the upper level, along with pp. 1–78.
the Zerzanek collection, were all saved.[12] [7] "We’re Certainly Bookworms Here". The Cedar
The library would lease space at the Westdale Mall Rapids Evening Gazette. December 5, 1914.
where they had already established a library branch in [8] McHugh, Nancy (June 20, 1965). "Library
August 1988. The branch material would be consolidated Introduces ’Project Neptune’". The Cedar Rapids
with the library’s surviving collection in the former Osco Gazette.
Drug Store space.[13] [9] "Evelyn Zerzanek". Cedar Rapids Public Library.
http://www.crlibrary.org/about-us/evelyn-
Services [10]
zerzank/. Retrieved 8 November 2011.
Reynolds, John (October 31, 1954). "Second
The collection is recovering from the losses due to the Bookmobile for Cedar Rapids". The Cedar Rapids
flood. Many of the services that were offered pre-flood Gazette.
have been revived including free computer classes, inter- [11] Elsea, Jerry (December 14, 1969). "Library Bonds
net access, and meeting rooms for the public. They offer a Need 60 Percent Margin". The Cedar Rapids Gazette.
variety of programs including the Summer Reading Pro- [12] Raasch, Jeff (June 7, 2009). "Getting Library Back
gram, Adult Summer Reading Program, story times, and Will Be ’Healing’". The Gazette.
childrens reading to therapy dogs. There are a number [13] Belz, Adam (November 7, 2008). "C.R. Library to
of databases and other materials, such as e-books, down- Open in Westdale-Temporary Home in Former
loadable audiobooks, and downloadable music, that can Osco Drug May Be Ready in January". The Gazette.
be accessed either at the library or remotely with a li-
brary card. Other events include author talks, live music,
and art exhibits by local area artists.
External links
• Official Website
References
[1] "FEMA Marks One-Year Anniversary of Iowa
Disaster". Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cedar_Rapids_Public_Library&oldid=462583022"
Categories:
• Public libraries in Iowa
• Cedar Rapids, Iowa
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