Yakima Valley Libraries : Yakima Central Renovation Project

New Regional Library Building Replaces Carnegie Building

Bringing together Yakima's city and rural libraries proved to be a very successful strategy. Services provided by the combined library system, known as Yakima Valley Regional Library, were so popular that library headquarters had outgrown the Yakima Carnegie building by the mid-1950's. The Board of Trustees and library administrators began planning for the next phase of growth - replacing the Carnegie building. Follow the links below to learn what it took to design the new building, find the money and get approval for the project, move out of the Carnegie for demolition, and finally, move into the modern, new Yakima Valley Regional Library headquarters.

[1953]	Report written just as the idea of need for a new building was emerging	YVRL Report
January 30, 1955	Report showing growth of the library 1950 - 1954	YVRL Report
September 25, 1957	Plans for a new building are approved	Yakima Sunday Herald
November 6, 1957	A copy of the program prepared for the 1957 ground breaking ceremony for the Yakima Valley Regional Library Building.	YVRL document
July 24, 1958	A list of 23 items that local officials selected as historically representative of their time, and then sealed within the library cornerstone as a time capsule.	YVRL document
January 6, 1959	A floor plan showing the layout of the main floor of the Yakima Valley Regional Library building when it opened its doors in 1959.	Yakima Daily Republic
January 11, 1959	Information sheet about the (1959) new building	YVRL Report
January 11, 1959	Opening day in 1959 for the new building	Yakima Daily Republic
January 11, 1959	A description of all the work and organization required to move into Yakima Valley Regional Library's brand new (in 1959) downtown facility. A side bar explains how library board members were appointed and what their responsibilities were at that time.	Yakima Sunday Herald
1959	1959 report to the community with information on how the regional library operated, the services provided, and service locations.	YVRL Report
January 11, 1959	Program for the 1959 dedication ceremony of the Yakima Valley Regional Library building at 102 N Third Street in Yakima, Washington.	YVRL document

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