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Roanoke Public Libraries
Our First 80 Years
 | Although a private subscription library was organized in 1837 and existed for most of that century, attempts to establish a public library in the early years of Roanoke were unsuccessful.
It wasn't until 1920, under the leadership of Mrs. W.S. Butler, Jr., that a group of prominent Roanoke citizens petitioned City Council to provide a public library. A citywide fundraising campaign raised $27,000 toward the maintenance of a public library and City Council passed an ordinance creating the Roanoke Public Library. |
Council also contributed $13,000 and Elmwood, the first library building. Elmwood occupied the top of the hill in Elmwood Park, a tract of land in the center of the city purchased from the Terry family in 1911.
A Library Board of Directors was formed, with Mrs. Butler as the first president. In addition to the Main Library in Elmwood Park, a branch to serve the Gainsboro community was also created. Miss Lucy Addison, Dr. A.L. James, and Dr. L. Downing were appointed as an advisory committee for the Gainsboro Branch.
The Main Library was opened to the public at a dedication ceremony on Saturday, May 21, 1921. The Gainsboro Branch was opened on December 13, 1921, on the ground floor of a newly-built facility that later became the Wm. A. Hutton WMCA after the branch was moved to its present building in 1942.
The following timeline marks the highlights of the growth of the Roanoke Public Library System from 1921 to present:
1921
Main library dedicated and opened to the public May 21. Gainsboro Branch dedicated and opened December 13.
1925
Law Library opened in the Municipal Building for the Roanoke Bar Association.
1926
Virginia Heights Station opened in Croft's Drug Store at 102 Grandin Road.
1927
Virginia Heights Station relocated to second floor of the Masonic Building at 108 Grandin Road. Melrose station opened at Melrose Avenue and 16th Street.
1929
Melrose Station moved to the basement of Monroe School on Melrose Avenue.
1931
Raleigh Court Branch opened at 1916 Memorial Avenue, replacing the Virginia Heights station.
1942
Gainsboro Branch moved to its present building at 15 Patton Avenue.
1948
Williamson Road Station opened in Fire Station on Williamson Road. Melrose Station became Melrose Branch and moved to a new building on Melrose Avenue between 23rd and 24th Streets.
1949
Jackson Park Station opened at the Buena Vista Recreation Center.
1952
Present Main Library building opened in Elmwood Park.
1953
Roanoke Public Library Foundation chartered. City Council gives the Foundation control over library gifts, bequests and other forms of endowment.
1954
New Main Library building won the Award of Merit at the annual exhibit of the Virginia Chapter of the American Institute of Architects.
1956
Jackson Park Station at the Buena Vista Recreation Center closed.
1964
Elmwood, the former Main Library, and the former Terry family home in Elmwood Park, razed. Williamson Road Station became the Williamson Road Branch and moved to its present building at 3837 Williamson Road.
1966
Raleigh Court Branch moved to new building at 2112 Grandin Road.
1968
Jackson Park Branch opened at 1101 Morningside Street, S.E.
1973
Roanoke Public Libraries became the Subregional Library For The Blind and Physically Handicapped, serving the people of the 5th Planning District.
1974
Bookmobile service began in
1977
Melrose Branch moved to its present building at 2607 Salem Turnpike.
1981
Joined with other public and academic libraries in Virginia to establish a single state database. This involved converting holdings records to a computer format. Card catalogs were discarded and a microfiche catalog was introduced. The combined holdings of Roanoke, , , and were listed in one catalog.
1982
Raleigh Court Branch was expanded and renovated.
1983
Law Library was moved to the first floor of the new Court House at 315 Church Avenue. The Williamson Road Branch was expanded and renovated. The Main Library was closed for two months to undergo major renovation, including the addition of the South Wing.
1984
Main Library reopened in January.
1991
Library Outreach Services relocated from the Main Library to the Melrose Branch. A consortium was formed with the library systems of and to cooperate in purchasing an integrated automated library system. The microfiche catalog was replaced with public access terminals which allowed the combined holdings of the three library systems to be in one catalog.
1995
Library joined the Roanoke Area Public Library catalog by adding their holdings database.
1996
We celebrated 75 years of service and look forward to many more.
2001
Main Library was closed several months for renovation. |
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