Have you read any good books lately ? Have you learned anything new ? If your answer is no , then you might want to consider heading over to the Rosenberg Library . One of my absolute favorite things to do is to get lost in a bookstore or a library . I could spend hours flipping through pages in the history book section .
You may be surprised at what this library has to offer . The Rosenberg Library was officially opened in June of 1904 as one of the many generous gifts to the city of Galveston from Mr Henry Rosenberg . But the roots of this library stem back to 1871 , making it one of the oldest public libraries in Texas .
Before 1904 , book-loving Galvestonians had the option to visit the Galveston Mercantile Library . Founded in 1871 , this was one of the earliest public libraries in Texas . However , it wasn't completely free . Visitors to the mercantile library would need to pay a subscription prior to checking out a book , magazine or newspaper .
This was a relatively common model for libraries at the time . However , the outlook of the landscape changed in 1893 , when the city received a generous bequest from the esteemed local businessman Henry Rosenberg . Rosenberg immigrated to Galveston in 1843 . He became a wealthy merchant and he died in 1893 with no children to pass along his wealth .
Rosenberg's will outlined several projects , including the establishment of a new and improved public library for the residents of Galveston .
Rosenberg said it best himself quote In making this bequest , I desire to express in practical form my affection for the city of my adoption and for the people among whom I have lived for so many years , trusting that it will aid their intellectual and moral developments and be a source of pleasure and profit to them and their children and their children's children
through many generations . In July of 1900 , the Rosenberg Library Association organized a charter granted by the state of Texas . This registered the library as a private corporation to give free library service to all Galvestonians .
The planning and construction were stalled due to the deadly 1900 storm which struck on September 8 , 1900 , and as the city began to climb back to its feet , the planning for the Rosenberg Library continued . The building was designed by the architectural firm Eames Young of St Louis , missouri .
The three-story Italian Renaissance-style building was constructed of brick , stone and terracotta . In the early years , the basement level housed living quarters for a janitor and their family .
However , the first head librarian , frank Patton , and his assistants were so devoted to the success of the library they took up residence in the basement for a short time before the library opened , focusing on cataloging and organizing incoming books .
On June 22 , 1904 , a Wednesday evening and Henry Rosenberg's birthday , the new building was formally dedicated , with opening celebrations held in the auditorium . Galvestonians came out in their usual style and ceremony . An orchestra played to an overflowing audience of more than 500 people .
The following day , the Rosenberg Library was open to the general public from 9 am to 9 pm . Library was open to the general public from 9 am to 9 pm . Business boomed . There were 106 library cards issued on the first day . 59 of those cards were given to children , just like today , library patrons could request a specific book or genre .
Frequent requests included French , german , latin and Greek classics , and a total of 91 books were checked out . About a year after the library was opened , it acquired the collections from the Galveston Mercantile Library . This formalized its new role as the public library for the city of Galveston . It has been such in the same location since 1904 .
Now , in 1904 , Texas practiced segregation , so the island's black residents were not allowed access to the library at first . However , head librarian Patton worked to open services up to the black community . In 1905 , the colored branch of the Rosenberg Library opened and was housed at the former campus of Central High School .
For over 50 years the two library campuses remained segregated until 1958 , when the Rosenberg Library was finally integrated . The first librarian , mr Frank Patton , worked as head librarian for nearly 30 years until his death on January 6 , 1934 .
Patton worked to emphasize children's services , public lectures and the collection of materials concerning Galveston and Texas history . His influence and legacy are still felt in the library today . Patton once said A library is one of the most permanent institutions of civilized life and to build a library properly is a slow and painstaking task .
The library of yesterday was a place for storage of books and it had small use . The library of today is a slow and painstaking task . The Library of Yesterday was a place for storage of books and it had small use . The Library of Today is a place of great activity and extending its aggressive energies in all directions .
For over a century , this library has grown into an integral part of the Galveston community by providing educational services , historical resources and access to millions of books and publications . The Rosenberg Library is also home to the Galveston and Texas History Center , which collects materials related to Galveston and early Texas .
The collection includes business charters and records of several organizations and churches in the area , as well as 20th century collections reflecting recent events and activities in Galveston and the Upper Gulf Coast . It also houses personal manuscripts and letters from many notable locals , such as Harris Kempner , jc Leig and Gale Borden Jr .
The History Center is also home to a collection of maps and charts of Galveston Island and the Greater Gulf Coast region dating from the 16th century to the present . For military history buffs , this collection contains artifacts from multiple battles that have taken place in Galveston .
In 1971 , the library was expanded with the addition of the Moody Memorial Wing , which doubled the floor space and provided areas for a children's library and museum galleries . While walking around outside the Rosenberg Library , be sure to check out one of the Rosenberg Fountains on the north side of the building .
This fountain was part of the series of gifts Henry Rosenberg left to Galvestonians . And don't forget to check out the statue of Henry Rosenberg himself in front of the library's east entrance . Enjoy access to the books , artifacts and history the Rosenberg Library offers .
And to bring in one last quote from the 1904 opening ceremony my friends , we stand upon hallowed ground , doubly hallowed as the temple of literature , art and science and by an exalted altruism , embracing within its sphere the people of the city for all time . A good and noble deed never dies . It is the essence of the divine .