Phone +1 727-893-7113 | ||
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Location St. Petersburg, Florida Branch of St. Petersburg Public Library System Address 1059 18th Ave S, St. Petersburg, FL 33705, USA Hours Closed now Saturday12–6PMSundayClosedMonday10AM–8PMTuesday10AM–6PMWednesday10AM–8PMThursday10AM–6PMFriday10AM–6PM Similar St Petersburg Public Lib, Gulfport Public Library, St Pete Beach Public Lib, Barbara S Ponce Public Lib, Nelson Poynter Memorial | ||
The James Weldon Johnson Community Library is a public library located in St. Petersburg, Florida. It is a branch of the St. Petersburg Public Library System, which services a large area in southern Pinellas County, Florida.
Contents
Services and programs
James Weldon Johnson Community Library is a member of the Pinellas Public Library Cooperative and the St. Petersburg Public Library system. Library users may borrow books, CDs and DVDs and request items from libraries throughout Pinellas County. Free WiFi is available, as well as public computers. Printing, copying, and fax service is available for a small charge. Information on upcoming events is available through the library's website.
Hours of operation and contact information
Phone Number: (727)893-7113
Address: 1059 18th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, Florida 33705
History
James Weldon Johnson Community Library is named after James Weldon Johnson, American author and civil rights activist.
The history of James Weldon Johnson Community Library is part of African American history in St. Petersburg.
Andrew Carnegie intended for the library he funded in St. Petersburg to be racially integrated when it opened in 1915, but the city refused black residents access to the library. In 1944, the city began allowing blacks into only the basement of the Carnegie library. Mrs. S.M. Carter, wife of a pastor, formed an interracial committee and lobbied the city for funds to open a black library.
In 1947 the James Weldon Johnson Library opened in a leased space on 3rd Ave. S. It stayed there until 1979, when it was closed because the Gas Plant neighborhood was being demolished and residents relocated.
In 1981 the library was reopened in a space inside the Enoch Davis Recreation Center on 10th avenue south. In 1990 there were rumors that the library was going to be closed due to funding cuts. Community leaders formed a Friends of the Library group and circulated a successful petition to save the library. The library was expanded and opened on its current site in 2002
The current building is approximately 14,000 square feet and was designed by Canerday, Belfsky + Arroyo Architects.