The Most Dangerous Place in Town

“I choose free libraries as the best agencies for improving the masses of the people,” said industrialist Andrew Carnegie, “because they … only help those who help themselves. They never pauperize. They reach the aspiring and open to these chief treasures of the world -- those stored up in books. A taste for reading drives out lower tastes.” By the end of his life, Carnegie had given away ninety percent of his wealth, including gifts that funded over 2,500 free libraries around the world. All seven Carnegie buildings in St. Louis still exist, and five of them remain in use as libraries. The St.Louis Central Library is featured in one of the technical tours for CONSTRUCT2015, the CSI national convention held in St. Louis from September 30 through October 3.

The St. Louis Public Library system was founded immediately after the Civil War as a members-only library in conjunction with the St. Louis Public Schools. It opened to the public in 1874 and in 1901, it received a Carnegie grant that provided for the current central library, designed by Cass Gilbert and completed in 1912. A recent major restoration by Cannon Design brought the building into the 21^st Century, while retaining and refurbishing much of Gilbert’s original design.

The selection of Gilbert, in retrospect, seems like a foregone conclusion. After all, his work on the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, especially his design of the new Art Museum, had been acclaimed locally and he had achieved national prominence as the architect for the Minnesota State Capitol and the U.S. Customs House in New York City. One of America’s first celebrity architects, he was entering the prime of a career that would soon include the world’s tallest building, the Woolworth, and would culminate with the design for the U.S. Supreme Court Building.    

But Gilbert was no shoe-in for the commission, which was awarded after an invited competition that included six other architectural firms. Gilbert made the short list and was selected because of his design for the book delivery room, a two-story space centrally located in the plan. The completed building deviates very little from his initial design sketches. Reading and reference rooms and specialized collections rooms were organized around the delivery room, and the art and periodical rooms were located off the entrance vestibule.

Cannon Design’s restoration and renewal project won several architecture and library awards. The original book stacks in the north wing were removed, creating a three story public atrium and new theater and teen rooms. The AIA/ALA Library Building Jury award noted: “Meticulously renovated historic spaces combined with a sensitive combination of new construction within the existing historic shell to create a marvelous set of experiences for visitors.”  

The revitalization added 45% more public space to the building, and made it more inviting to the people of St. Louis. Almost since its inception, the city’s public library system has opened its doors to citizens of all races and ages, and allowed them access to the collected wisdom of the world. Carnegie’s take on libraries, quoted above, is more famous, but I prefer this one from the poet John Ciardi: “The public library is the most dangerous place in town.” Enjoy the danger at CONSTRUCT 2015 - visit a place where active minds are at work.

Getting there from CONSTRUCT: If you signed up for the technical tour, a bus will be provided.

Walking: 10 minutes, 6 blocks. Head west on Washington Avenue to 13^th Steet, turn south and the library is 2 blocks on your right.

Bus: Downtown Trolley (99 Bus) loops around downtown.  The trip from Convention Center to the Washington and 13th is 4 minutes. The fare is $2.25 each way.

Taxi: Budget $5 each way.