Webster Groves Public Library

Webster Groves Public Library
Location	Webster Groves, Missouri, United States
Established	1911
Branch of	Municipal Library Consortium of St. Louis County
Collection
Size	70,000
Other information
Website	wgpl.org

The Webster Groves Public Library is a municipal library in Webster Groves, Missouri. It is a member of the Municipal Library Consortium of St. Louis County.

History

1911 build of library

Early years

The library originated from a collection managed by a private organization beginning in 1890. The organization, the Monday Club, was funded by donations amounting to US$3,000. The City of Webster Groves donated land for a building to the cause on the condition that the city government could take management of the facility when it had the opportunity. A more permanent residence was built in 1911 by architect Lawrence Ewald at a cost of US$6000 and opened on October 12, 1911. The library was a single-story facility with a ceiling height of 14 feet (4.3 m) and a ground plan of 40 by 60 feet (12 m × 18 m). The interior was walled with hard pine and plaster, and wood shelving. Electric lighting and gas heating utilities were also installed and paid for by the Monday Club. Rooms included a large assembly room, which had applications as a reading room, book room and delivery room; two coat rooms and service rooms on one end of the building; and two rooms at the front for storing special book collections. The library was managed by five volunteer assistants and a librarian salaried by the City of Webster Groves. It was open two afternoons and one morning each week and was also open to the Monday Club for meetings.

On April 5, 1927, the citizens of Webster Groves voted 2,887 to 551 in favor of a tax levy to fund the library, making it one of the first tax-supported municipal libraries in St. Louis County. At the time, the school board was building an addition to the Webster Groves High School and offered to include a space for the library in it. In 1951, the library's present building was erected.

In the 1950s/1960s, a second library was established in North Webster with the help of Douglass High School Principal Howell Gains for access by African-Americans. They were only allowed entrance to Webster Groves Library one afternoon a week.

1951 Building at 301 E. Lockwood Avenue

Late in the 1940s the Library Board began planning for a stand-alone library building. Funds were raised through a bond issue that passed in 1947. A site was picked at the corner of Lockwood and Orchard Avenues, along the southern edge of the neighborhood known as Webster Park. The building was designed by the St. Louis firm of J. P. Hoener Associates, and the grand opening was held in October, 1951.

Over time, the library's services outgrew the space in this building, which was just under 11,000 square feet. Cubicles to house staff offices were built in the main reading room; Children's Services were moved to the Auditorium, leaving the library without a public meeting room.

From the late 1990's, various Library Boards at various times talked about an expansion plan for the building, but were met by the problem that the building was largely landlocked, with residences on most sides.

Another long-term problem for the library was the lack of sufficient parking. In 1999, the residence at 227 E. Lockwood, across Orchard Avenue from the Library, went on sale. The Library Board voted to purchase this house, and subsequently applied to the Webster Groves Zoning Commission for a Conditional Use Permit to subdivide the rather large lot this house sat on, and build a parking lot at the southeast corner of Lockwood and Orchard Avenues. The plan occasioned some opposition in the community, from people who did not want a parking lot built and did not believe that the level of traffic in and out of the Library made it necessary. But the Library Board prevailed and the parking lot was built. The residence, with its smaller lot, was then sold.

In 2003 another residence to the east of the library went on sale, and the Library Board purchased it, hoping that a property contiguous to the Library building could provide space for an expansion. This plan grew problematic, as the Board began to realize the many impediments to using the house as it was (a public building, for instance, required sufficient restrooms and handicapped accessibility), or to razing it and building an addition to the standing Library building.

Library expansion

The library's 2011 expansion was designed to address shortcomings raised in a public poll done several years prior. Better services for seniors and children were commonly raised issues.

Construction of the expansion was originally planned to be completed in 15 months with the reopening in February or March 2012. The total cost of the project was $7 million with $4.6 million going towards construction costs and the rest covering architect/engineering and relocation expenses.

Voters approved a tax increase to finance the construction. $7.08 million in bond financing was completed in September 2010. Residents partook $1 million and Greater St. Louis, $4 million, in the stake.

The plan would increase the library from 10,870 square feet (1,010 m²) to 21,235 square feet (1,972.8 m²). The addition included a 100-seat auditorium, 3,000 square feet (280 m²) upper level children's room, and 3,000 square feet (280 m²) lower level for computers and a reference room.

The one-story northeast side was demolished to make room for the three-story addition. Three parking spaces were lost.

The addition was designed to keep the building's original historic look but some residents believed that the design was too modern.

Frederich Construction, Inc. terminated the contract in late September 2011.