Bayonne Public Library
Encyclopedia
The Bayonne Public Library is the free public library
of Bayonne, New Jersey
. Incorporated in 1890, the library system has three branches and serves a population of approximately 62,000.
, still in use. In 1913, Andrew Carnegie
donated another $30,000 for its expansion. The present structure was completed after its final expansion at the cost of $300,000. Frank L. Bodine
submitted a proposal for the original but the one accepted came from Edward Lippincott Tilton, who also designed the rectangular annex in 1914. Charles Shilowitz designed major addition of the two wings that form a courtyard built between 1929 and 1933.
In a Memorial Day fire in 1959 the central part of the interior and roof were badly burnt. After a $1.25 million restoration it re-opened to the public in 1963. The building was re-dedicated in 1989 as the Free Public Library & Cultural Center of Bayonne. Performing and visual arts and interactive events take place at The Mary O'Connor Gallery, while the lower level is used for meetings and cultural programs.
Public library
A public library is a library that is accessible by the public and is generally funded from public sources and operated by civil servants. There are five fundamental characteristics shared by public libraries...
of Bayonne, New Jersey
Bayonne, New Jersey
Bayonne is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. Located in the Gateway Region, Bayonne is a peninsula that is situated between Newark Bay to the west, the Kill van Kull to the south, and New York Bay to the east...
. Incorporated in 1890, the library system has three branches and serves a population of approximately 62,000.
Carnegie building
The main library located at located at 697 Avenue C. The Beaux-Arts and Classical Revival building, sporting Ionic and Doric columns and rich in ornamental detail has undergone expansion and renovation since its 1904 opening. It is one of New Jersey's original thirty-six Carnegie libraries, constructed with a grant of $83,000 made April 13, 1903 by the Carnegie CorporationCarnegie Corporation of New York
Carnegie Corporation of New York, which was established by Andrew Carnegie in 1911 "to promote the advancement and diffusion of knowledge and understanding," is one of the oldest, largest and most influential of American foundations...
, still in use. In 1913, Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie was a Scottish-American industrialist, businessman, and entrepreneur who led the enormous expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century...
donated another $30,000 for its expansion. The present structure was completed after its final expansion at the cost of $300,000. Frank L. Bodine
Frank L. Bodine
Frank Lee Bodine was an American architect who practiced in Asbury Park, New Jersey and in Orlando, Florida in the first four decades of the twentieth century....
submitted a proposal for the original but the one accepted came from Edward Lippincott Tilton, who also designed the rectangular annex in 1914. Charles Shilowitz designed major addition of the two wings that form a courtyard built between 1929 and 1933.
In a Memorial Day fire in 1959 the central part of the interior and roof were badly burnt. After a $1.25 million restoration it re-opened to the public in 1963. The building was re-dedicated in 1989 as the Free Public Library & Cultural Center of Bayonne. Performing and visual arts and interactive events take place at The Mary O'Connor Gallery, while the lower level is used for meetings and cultural programs.
Branches and circulation
The Branch Two Library is located at 1055 Avenue C. The Stony Point Branch is located in the Bergen Point section of the city at 4th Street. As of 2011, the library system served a population of approximately 62,000 residents, contained a collection of 268494 volumes and had yearly circulation of 99100 items.See also
- Bayonne Community Museum
- List of Carnegie libraries in New Jersey
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Hudson County, New Jersey