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1 3 2 H a r t f o r d Hartford Public Library Hartford Public Library traces its roots back to 1774. F irst known as the Library Company, it was started as a subscription com- pany with some 700 books by a group of city leaders: Jonathan Brace, Jeremiah Wadsworth, Daniel Wadsworth, George Bull, Elisha Colt, Theodore Dwight, George Goodwin, Chauncey Goodrich and Thomas Y. Seymour. It continued to flourish into the early 1800s, but by the end of the century, Hartford residents recognized the need for a free public library. A request for funds went out to residents so that the Wadsworth Atheneum could be modified with a new library wing. More than 2,000 people donated money to the project, and within two years the city raised $406,000. On September 15, 1892, the new public library opened. On the first day, 388 names were reg- istered and by the 10th day, 2,160 names. Then, on May 3, 1893, the library's name was formally changed to the Harford Public Library. By World War II, the library had outgrown the Wadsworth Atheneum. It was time to build a modern library at a site at 500 Main Street. Since the library did not have the funds to finance new construction, the citi- zens of Hartford rose to the challenge and approved a 1951 bond issue for $2.7 million to make this dream come true. The 96,448-square-foot building, designed by Schutz & Goodwin, was completed in 1957. It was an architectural marvel of its time, built as a bridge over the Park River. Less than 50 years later, the well-worn building was no longer able to serve the burgeoning needs of the City's residents. The library embarked on a 145,000-square-foot expansion and renovation of the downtown library, costing more than $42 million. Completed in 2007, a larger, more efficient library now serves the growing needs of the community. So as the city has grown, so has the library. Throughout its rich history, the library has remained ahead of the curve. Caroline Hewins, the Hartford Public Library's first head librarian, led the library for 50 years, from 1875-1926. During her service, the num- ber of volumes increased from 20,000 to 150,000. She also initiated the creation of the children's department in 1904, one of the first in the country. Hartford Public Library hired Dr. Spencer Shaw, one of Connecticut's first African-American librarians, in 1941. During the first half of the 20th century, nine branches were locat- ed throughout the City – the Dwight branch was the first in 1907 and the last branch, Blue Hills, in 1949. The Ropkins branch was relocated to shared space with the newly-constructed SAND school in 1998. In 2002, the Institute of Museum and Library Services awarded Hartford Public Library the National Service Award for Library Service. In 2010, the Library was honored for its commitment to the democratic humanity of the com- munity by Librarians for Human Rights. In 2010 and 2011, Hartford Public Library was the only public library in the nation to receive federal grants for its work with New Americans from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service. The historic Mark Twain branch was relocated to the historic Hartford Public High School in 2011 to provide broader services to our community's teenagers. From the earliest days of the nation, the library has borne witness to a constantly changing and ethnically-diverse population. And as more immigrants and refugees arrived in Hartford, the library became the de facto immigration center, as well as a center for learning English, learning how to read, and developing job skills. "The Hartford Public Library has become a community gathering center for learning and exploring, for quality public education for all ages, for immigration and citizenship services, for job training and recreation," said Matthew K. Poland, the Library's chief executive officer and ninth leader of the institution since 1893. The Hartford Public Library is known for its array of community-centered programs includ- Hartford Public Library is a vital community technology hub for tens of thousands of residents because, for many, it is their only access to computers and the Internet. Pramod Pradhan