The Library's Early Years in Photos

Main Delivery Room, c. 1897

Postcard, c. 1910

Russ Law Library, c. 1910s

Library building from Church Square Park, c. 1910s-1920s

Inter-Church Movement Group on the library steps, c. 1915-1920

Shell from the Maine, c. 1933

Library Staff, c. 1933

Library Exterior, c. 1933

Main Stairwell, c. 1933

North Room, Reference Department, c. 1933

These photos, dating from around 1897 up through 1933, depict the library building in its earlier years. The building was constructed throughout 1896 and opened in 1897. Renovations have occurred throughout the years, including repairs to the dome in the 1950s, the addition of an elevator in 2003, and restoration work after Superstorm Sandy in 2012.

Over the course of these photos, arranged in chronological order, you can see numerous changes to the interior of the building - the originally closed stacks, the addition of the shell from the Maine, and the Russ Law Library are all featured prominently in these photos. For example, today the circulation desk looks very different than it did in the past - it's off to the side now, because today the stacks are open and patrons can go and browse by themselves! See what other changes you can notice in these photos from yesterday to today.