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changed in 1912 with the hiring of a librarian tasked with running this service. Given its popularity, it was integrated into the statutes and regulations of the library two years later. The success of both the children's section and the reference service became apparent. When it opened in 1911, the children's section was the source of 18.2% of all the books borrowed from the library; this share increased to 27.2% in 1914, the year the library inaugurated its youth reference service. The library had become, in the words of librarian Mary
Sollace Saxe during a conference of the
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399:. Robert Findlay was selected as the architect, and construction took place between 1898 and 1899. The total cost at that time was $ 16,375. This was for the books, furniture, and building itself. Findlay was inspired by the public libraries of New England he had visited. In this contribution, Findlay offered the City of Westmount a building with a vaulted entrance, a gabled roof, and a tower with turrets on the outside; and
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In 1915, the
Library Committee announced major changes to the facilities allowing easier circulation between the shelves were needed in order to offer universal access to the general public. Robert Findlay was then recruited to devise the necessary changes. These were completed in the spring of 1917,
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As of 2017, the library welcomes more than a thousand people daily and organizes its activities around 7,600 subscribers out of a population of 20,000 citizens. Its collection has been appended by a large collection of old and rare books in French and
English, 80 donated works of art, and 40,000 old
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In 2002, resulting from a
Montreal merger, membership increased 60% to 14,181 and circulation increased 30% to 425,218. This was because the merger allowed all residents of the Island of Montreal have free memberships. In 2003, the library's circulation passed the 450,000 mark with an average of 38
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In 1909, the
Library Committee suggested that an amount of C$ 20,000 be used for the creation of a space reserved for children, a reception room, and a reference service. At first, only the children's section was funded, while the referral service was considered to be of secondary importance. This
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In 1898, Miss
Beatrice Glen Moore was hired to be the first librarian. Her salary started at $ 520 per year. Two years later, in 1900, another librarian was hired by the name of Ms. Mary Solace Saxe. She retired 30 years later in 1930 and a new Chief Librarian was hired named Kathleen Jenkins. In
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In 1990, research commenced regarding a possible renovation and extension of the library. In 1991, after a poll, the citizens approved a renewal and enlargement plan. Renovations commenced in 1994. During that time, the adult and reference collections were temporarily moved to 4225
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1959 saw major changes including the installation of new steel stacks able to contain nearly 100,000 items, a new shipping area and
Children's Department. The former Children's Department was turned into offices, and the staff workroom was increased in size two-fold.
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In 1940, members of the Active
Service garrisoned in Westmount were given access to library services and the reading room. The library also took on the role of receiving station for magazine and book donations on the behalf of the
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In 1984, the library set up its first microcomputer. It was an IBM PC acquired to serve as an upgrade to the automated cataloguing system. A videocassette collection was established for the first time in 1985.
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In 1925, architect
Findlay along with his son designed an addition to the library. It included more stack space, another reading room, as well as an office for the librarians. This new wing also contained a
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Charles Henry Gould, numbered 2,000 books. Book lending began on July 23, 1899. Patrons could only borrow one book at a time, for a period of 14 days. The catalog originally had only 10 titles in French.
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Modernization and remodeling was finished in 1936. This involved the creation of a new workroom, the installation of concrete floors, new counters for book borrowers, and an air-conditioning system.
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beside the library. Also in 1994, the library acquired
Internet access, the first to do so in Quebec. A year later, in 1995, the new addition and renovations were finished.
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The library experienced a sharp decline of book purchases in 1943. This was because of the low quality of paper and bindings. During that same year, the Library became the
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In 1911, The Children's Department was opened. Findlay, the architect, designed the extension. It included a workroom as well as a basement book receiving room.
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1962, Mrs. Norah Bryant was selected as Chief Librarian. Rosemary Lydon became Chief Librarian in 1982. In 1990, six new staff positions were created.
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On June 20, 1898, the gala opening of the library took place. Records from that time indicate a collection of 1,992 books and 694 borrowers.
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The Westmount Public Library was inaugurated on June 20, 1899, by Mayor James R. Walker. Its initial collection, assembled by
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Free Public Library and Reading Room … shall be forever free to the use of the inhabitants and ratepayers of the Town.
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Trustees will be appointed by Council and all residents as well as property owners are eligible for appointment.
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The Centennial Reference Room opened in 1967 and the entire library was carpeted to help reduce noise.
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An inter-library loan network was set up in 1979 connecting 15 other public libraries in Montreal.
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and the Children's Department, Audiovisual, Technical Services and Administration were located at
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For 5 weeks during 1946, the Children's Department was forced to close due to an epidemic of
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In 1948, two hundred guests were invited to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the library.
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designed new display facilities. That same year, the collection exceeded 100,000 items.
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postcards reflecting the past of not just Westmount, but also of Montreal and Quebec.
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Conservatory viewed from entrance from Victoria Hall showing door leading to the WPL
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when the Westmount Public Library offered users unrestricted access to its shelves.
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In 1981, an elevator was installed as well as a wheelchair-accessible washroom.
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for the entirety of the collected material of the recently established
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The 90th anniversary celebrations for the library were held in 1989.
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806:"Bibliothèque publique de Westmount | Westmount Public Library"
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floor, the art section and music section, and reference books.
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Between 1943 and 1949, the alphabet system was replaced by the
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586:. The Library stacks became available to the public in 1917.
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By-law 82 was revised in 1988. It thereafter stated that the
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391:The library was founded in 1897 to commemorate the
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510:The library's website became available in 1996.
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370:Westmount Public Library as it was in 1910
619:View from the southeast showing extension
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41:Relevant discussion may be found on the
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760:: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (
481:Inscription on the wall of the Library
530:The Children's Reading Room (c. 1911)
859:Tudor Revival architecture in Canada
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864:Library buildings completed in 1899
16:Public library in Westmount, Quebec
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128:Westmount Public Library in 2011
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34:relies largely or entirely on a
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384:Westmount Public Library, 1938
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408:McGill University Librarian
335:) (WPL) is located at 4574
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213:Construction started
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742:on 15 December 2014
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138:General information
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268:Technical details
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148:Sherbrooke Street
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36:single source
32:This article
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818:. Retrieved
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175:Coordinates
848:Categories
820:17 January
786:2016-11-16
746:17 January
709:References
570:Facilities
188:73°36′00″W
185:45°28′52″N
73:newspapers
631:East door
559:In 1972,
544:mezzanine
341:Westmount
331:(French:
277:Sandstone
237:Renovated
221:Completed
159:Westmount
43:talk page
756:cite web
661:See also
643:Interior
465:—
273:Material
161:, Quebec
606:Gallery
584:rebound
435:curator
355:History
320:STM Bus
166:Country
143:Address
87:scholar
339:West,
253:Height
229:Opened
169:Canada
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597:Staff
453:polio
245:Owner
146:4574
94:JSTOR
80:books
822:2022
762:link
748:2022
240:1995
232:1899
224:1899
216:1898
150:West
66:news
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