Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Woods Run Branch, 1956 - 2006 1960 - 1999
Arrangement
Metadata Details
Title
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Woods Run Branch, 1956 - 2006 1960 - 1999
Creator
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh
Description
The Woods Run Branch Collection consists of fifteen series spanning the years 1956 to 2006. The majority of the collection is composed of branch reports of various types including Monthly reports, Annual reports, Children’s Department, volunteer statistics, periodical and withdrawal information, and the like. A substantial amount of grant and financial information is also available. Correspondence, newspaper clippings, photographs and blueprints concerning the Woods Run Branch are also included in this collection.
The Monthly, Annual and Children’s reports are nearly complete from 1956 to 1999; missing material is noted in the Series Note.
., Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Woods Run Branch, William R. Oliver Special Collections, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh., In October, 1956, the Carnegie Free Library of Allegheny and its Woods Run Branch, originally established in 1890 and 1916 respectively, merged with the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh to form a single city-wide library system. The Woods Run serves the Pittsburgh North Side communities of Woods Run, Brighton Heights and Marshall-Shadeland as well as the county residents of Bellevue, Avalon, Emsworth, West View, McKees Rocks and the nearby townships of Ross and Reserve. The original library building was in extremely poor condition at the time of the merger and was closed in 1961 due to physical deterioration, after construction of a new building was approved. In 1958, the Branch Librarian conducted community surveys and found a “definite need of an adequate Branch building,” but also commented on the areas surrounding the library, describing a community divided over ethnic, economic and social concerns. Though proposals were made calling for moving the Branch to a better neighborhood, they were not met and ground was broken in 1963 and the new site opened on July 8, 1964 at its new location at 1201 Woods Run Ave., Pittsburgh, PA, 15212.
From its establishment, the library was the target of vandalism which was generally contributed to the “negative connotation” of the Woods Run area. In 1985 the Friends of Woods Run Library, a local volunteer group, even suggested changing the name of the library to give it a better image. That plan did not come to fruition, but in 2006 renovations were completed with the twofold goal to make the library more environmentally friendlyfront of the building were replaced with windows which provide “views into and out of the library, was a big step in that direction, encouraging patrons to feel part of the neighborhood and that they have a stake in what goes on there.” and to “connect the building to the neighborhood.” The brick walls of the front of the building were replaced with windows which provide “views into and out of the library, was a big step in that direction, encouraging patrons to feel part of the neighborhood and that they have a stake in what goes on there.” ., Most materials were moved from the Woods Run Branch to the William R. Oliver Special Collections Room in May 2010.
Contributor
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh (depositor)
Date
1956-2006
Type
Collection
Format
5
Identifier
pitt:CLP.20180815.001
Language
eng
Rights
Copyright Not Evaluated. The copyright and related rights status of this Item has not been evaluated. Please refer to the organization that has made the Item available for more information. You are
free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use., http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/CNE/1.0/, Copyright Not Evaluated. The copyright and related rights status of this Item has not been evaluated. Please refer to the organization that has made the Item available for more information. You are
free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use., http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/CNE/1.0/