Austin Public Library Jubilee: 75 Years of Building Community

The Austin Public Library celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2001, and to help commemorate the important milestone, the Austin History Center presented an exhibit entitled, "Austin Public Library Jubilee: 75 Years of Building Community." The exhibit traced the history of the Austin Public Library from its humble beginnings in a small upstairs room on Congress Avenue in 1926 all the way up to present day and was on display May 4-October 28, 2001.

Viewers were offered an intriguing and informative look at some of the people, organizations, programs, and challenges that shaped the organization in various ways over the years. A wonderful collection of historical photographs was gathered for the exhibit, including images of the APL bookmobile in the 1950s and some beautiful interior/exterior scenes of Austin's Central Library in the 1930s and 1940s. The exhibit featured artifacts, a pictorial timeline, and plenty of library memorabilia.

A line forms alongside the APL bookmobile as it makes neighborhood rounds in the mid-1950's. [PICA 01442]