Almost 100 years ago, in January of 1891, a group of prominent Charlotte citizens gathered at the Law Library on North Church Street. Their intent was to organize a library for the people of Charlotte, a library which would be the forerunner of today's Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County.
1989 Library Board of Trustees
Robert C. Sink, Chairman
Dennis Rash, Vice-Chairman
Mary P. Bogguss
Rev. Calvin A. Hood
Eleanor R. Morris
Elizabeth S. Randolph
Sally Robinson
Robert E. Cannon
Director of Libraries
1989 Board of County Commissioners
Carla E. DuPuy, Chairman
Thomas Rodney Autrey, Vice Chairman
John G. Blackmon
George Higgins
Peter Keber
Barbara E. Lockwood
Rev. Robert L. "Bob" Walton
Brevard Street Branch 1929-1961 (established in 1905 as an independent library)
Cornelius Branch 1931 -
Davidson Branch 1931 -
Huntersville Branch 1931 -
Matthews Branch 1931 -
Pineville Branch 1931 - 1985
Piedmont Courts Branch 1941 - 1973
East Branch 1956 -
South Branch 1956 -
North Branch 1957 -
Mint Hill Branch 1958 -
Derita Branch 1960 - 1968
West Branch 1962 -
Sharon Branch 1963 -
Northwest Branch 1964 -
Tryon Mall Branch 1968 -
Independence Branch 1974 -
The Cornelius Branch of the Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County system - this building has since been replaced. Physical Description: 8x10 glossy Publisher: Charlotte Mecklenburg Library
The 1959 Main Branch of the Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County replaced the 1903 Carnegie Library on the same site.
Physical Description: 8x10 glossy
Publisher: Charlotte Mecklenburg Library
But close it did. On the evening of June 30, 1939, the doors of the Charlotte Public Library were locked. The staff went home, and for the first time in almost fifty years the city was without a library.
By February, another plan was taking shape. Thomas S. Franklin, secretary for a Charlotte cotton press manufacturer and a member of the city board of aldermen, heard that industrialist Andrew Carnegie was offering cities and towns money for library construction. On his next business trip to New York, Franklin called on personal friend James Bertram, then secretary of the Carnegie Corp. With his help, arrangements were made for Charlotte to receive a gift of $20,000, later increased to $25,000.