NOTE: “Today” and “tonight” refer to Friday, Oct. 9.
PORT TOWNSEND — The 102nd anniversary of the opening of the Carnegie building that is now part of the Port Townsend Library will be celebrated from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. today in the library’s Carnegie Reading Room.
Admission is free and open to the public at the library, 1220 Lawrence St.
The birthday party will include cake and beverages provided by Northwind Arts Center and will feature the opening of an Art in the Library exhibit on the theme of Carnegie Libraries.
The grand opening of the Carnegie building was Oct. 14, 1913, according to historian Pam McCollum Clise.
It had been built as a free city public library with a $12,500 grant from the Carnegie Corp.
A group of women incorporated the Port Townsend Library Association in 1898 and a second-floor room in the Central School — now the Port Townsend Community Center — was outfitted with shelves, furnishings and books, Clise said.
A small fee was charged to library members.
In 1903, the association purchased a lot on Lawrence Street for $400, Clise said.
In 1907, the city of Port Townsend began talking with the Carnegie Foundation in New York about a possible grant.
Free library resolution
In 1911, the Port Townsend City Council passed a resolution to create a free library with city support, Clise said, and in 1912, the Carnegie Foundation agreed to provide a grant.
The exhibit, juried by Port Townsend artist and former gallery owner Max Grover, will include artwork inspired by a broad interpretation of the theme of Carnegie Libraries, such as free access to libraries, Andrew Carnegie, Carnegie Library architecture, the Carnegie Library and its history, philanthropy, reading and opportunity through education accessed in libraries.
The exhibit will continue until Feb. 5.
For information, contact Polly Lyle at 360-379-1904 or pollylyle@me.com, or see www.ptpubliclibrary.org.
