7 things you need to know about Victoria Public Library
Carol Hoff, a noted Yorktown author, became a full-time librarian in September 1964. She presided over the Victoria Bronte Public Library. Housed at the time in what you know as the Nave Museum, 306 W. Commercial St., the library later moved to its current location under a new name, Victoria Public Library.
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Victoria Public Library had its philosophical beginnings with the organization in 1855 of the Victoria Literary Society.
During the years, the library moved to Mrs. J.M. Brownson's home, various drug stores in downtown Victoria and elsewhere.
In 1971, the city of Victoria became owner of the library. The library moved to its current location at 302 N. Main St. in 1975.
7 things you need to know about Victoria Public Library
1) These days, the library houses 136,698 books, including audiobooks. For those who want a break from print, the library offers 2,822 CDs, 3,300 DVDs and 1,637 products in other electronic media.
With the advent of the Internet, many so-called experts suggest books lost popularity. Consider this: The library boasts 43,889 issued library cards.
The library's building is 33,000 square feet.
The oldest book in the library is "Vida de San Felipe de Jesus, protomartyr de Japon y patron de su Patria Mexico." Library Director Dayna Williams-Capone said, "This book is a collection of prints and some text that give the highlights of San Felipe de Jesus' life." The book was published in 1801.
At 20-1/2 by 14 inches in size, "The Book of the World," an Atlas table, is the library's largest book. The book with the most pages? Random House's "Dictionary of the English Language." This book contains 2,510 pages.
Who is the most famous person to have visited the library? "Elmer Kelton was our featured author for Victoria Reads in 2008," Williams-Capone said of the award-winning Western writer. "He was charming, a great speaker and storyteller and so kindhearted. When Bill Clinton visited Victoria, we were able to see him from the library windows. It was exciting and a bit scary when the SWAT team came in and climbed up on our roof to be on lookout during his visit."
What library facts - that most folks don't know - does Williams-Capone find most interesting? "We have an upstairs where staff prepare all library materials to go out on the floor for the public to use," she said. "Until 1975-1976, the public library for Victoria was called the Bronte Public Library and was housed in the Nave Museum."
Comments
and I love the library web site where you can reserve a book from home or find out if the library has it or suggest that they order it. Really handy for out of town patrons.
October 5, 2009 at 1:57 p.m.Longer hours would be great, but you cant please everyone. As homeschoolers we spend a lot of time there. They are great to us. They go out of their way to help my kids. Did you know they can give you a suggested reading list by reading level and interest?
October 5, 2009 at 8:49 a.m.A few other things about the library:
It's overstaffed with uninformed and inadequate employees.
It needs to be open 7 days a week to at least 8PM.
Restructure the staff. Expand the hours and become a service to the citizens who pay for this library instead of operating it like the other downtown businesses who roll up the sidewalks at 5PM weekdays and who never open up on the weekends.
October 5, 2009 at 8:30 a.m.