Library System History

1893

April 23 Cossitt and Library System Founding

1930's

Bookmobile Started Service

1935/1939

Summer Vance Branch Opens (Now Cornelia Crenshaw)

1951

January 15 Highland Branch Opens

1953

June 23 Whitehaven Branch Organized

1955

April 3 Main Library at 1850 Peabody Opens

June 31 Millington Branch Opens

1956

First Collierville Location

Cordova Library Opens at the Train Depot

1957

January 6 Randolph Branch Opens

1958

Whitehaven Branch Building Opens

1960

Sit-ins held at Main and Cossitt

1961

March 26 North Branch Opens

September 11 Frayser Branch Opens

1964

August 9 Poplar-White Station Branch Opens

1965

December 5 Collierville Branch Built

1966

October 23 Parkway Village Opens

November 6 Raleigh Branch Opens

1967

July 9 Arlington Branch Opens

July 17 Levi Branch Opens

September 10 Bartlett Brach Opens

1968

March 17 South Branch Opens

Germantown Branch Opens

1970

Friends of the Library Organized

Mid-1970s

Library Channel/TV 18

1980

WTTL (West Tennessee Talking Library) Begins Airing as a Closed-circuit Radio Station

1975

April 6 Cherokee Branch

1976

April 13 Hollywood

1979

January 2 Gaston Park Branch

1980

New Bartlett Branch Opens at 6382 Stage Road

1981

New Vance Branch Opens

1990

JobLinc

1991

WYPL FM 89.3 Begins Broadcast

1994

Foundation for the Library Organized

1996

Training Wheels Bus Begins Service

1997

Vance Branch Renamed for Community, Resident Activist Cornelia Crenshaw

1998

Groundbreaking held for Central Library

1999

InfoBus Mobile Service Begins

February 15 East Shelby Opens

2001

The 330,000 square foot Central Library opens to the public

The Collierville Library Opens a New Building as the Lucius E. Elise C. Burch, Jr.

2004

The newly-constructed Cordova Branch opens at 8457 Trinity Road

The newly-constructed Whitehaven Branch opens 4120 Mill Branch

Collierville & Germantown Branches Cede from the Memphis Public Library & Information System

2005

A renovated Randolph Branch reopens

Arlington & Millington Branches Cede from the Memphis Public Library & Information System

WYPL-89.3 FM celebrates 25 years of service to the community

A renovated Hollywood Branch reopens to the public

Memphis City Council officially names Central the Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library

2006

Memphis Public Library's Health Information Center is recognized as Best in State and among top ten in the country

SIRSI Dynix recognizes Memphis Public Library & Information Center for "Building Better Communities"

2007

Library web site celebrates 10 years of service

Memphis Public Library & Information Center featured in new book "Heart of the

Community: Libraries we Love"

Urban Libraries Council/The Urban Institute Report: Making Cities Stronger uses

Memphis Public Library as a model for employment outreach and early literacy training

Groundbreaking is held for a new Bartlett Branch Library

2008

The Bartlett Public Library opened to the public April 7th.

Address: 5884 Stage Road, Bartlett, TN 38134

The new facility is located at the Bartlett Municipal Center and is a combination of new construction and renovation of the existing building.

New Hours of Operation: Monday - Thursday 10am - 8pm

Friday & Saturday 10am - 6pm

Sunday 1-5 pm

Architect: Ben Witt, Principal/Owner, Fleming Associates

Contractor: John Reinagel, President, R & R General Contractors, Inc.

Size: 22, 000 sq. ft. (almost double the size of the old facility; includes a dedicated children’s room, two study rooms, 20 new computers, wireless Internet available to the public, 50% more shelving, and more parking).

Cost: estimated cost: $3.7M plus cost of an enlarged collection

Grand Opening Celebration: Saturday, April 19, 2008 at 10:00am