Nestled on the edge of the oldest municipal park in Texas, you’ll find a nearly century-old public library with Spanish-style architecture, vaulted ceilings and large archways. The San Pedro Branch Library celebrates a major milestone after 95 years of dedicated service to the city.
The San Pedro Branch Library was the first branch library built in San Antonio and the only one built in a public park when it opened on August 5, 1930. To commemorate its anniversary, the city hosted a 1930s-themed celebration with vintage crafts and a special ceremony with guest speakers such as District 1 Councilwoman Dr. Sukh Kaur and Assistant City Manager David McCary.
“I bet each of us has a memory of a library that’s really transformed their lives, which is why we care so much about the power of libraries and what it can do for not only our kids, but also for our community,” Kaur said during the ceremony on Saturday, September 6. “We can’t be a member, an active contributing member, of that democracy unless we have the ability to read, to experience books and to be able to participate.”
In 1929, father-and-son architect firm Atlee and Robert Ayres designed the building with Spanish colonial and Italian Renaissance styles. At the time, there was no air conditioning in the building, which was why the architects intentionally designed the building to capture the southeast prevailing breezes, according to Paul Kinnison, Jr., a former employee of the architectural firm.
Over the years, the architects continued to work on the building to improve and modernize it. The team also made sure to make the building handicap accessible by reinstalling the brick entrance and cleaning up the front fountain, Kinnison said in a video from the city.
In 2007, a community block grant and the support of the community allowed for a total renovation of the building, restoring it to near its original condition, according to the city. Today, two large archways open into separate wings housing adult and juvenile collections in a very intimate setting with two backrooms that were originally screened-in porches.
Atlee and Robert Ayres were prolific architects in San Antonio. The firm designed the Marion Koogler McNay Art Museum, the Texas School for the Blind, the Texas State Office Building, the USAA building, the Tower Life Building, the Plaza Hotel, and remodeled the Menger Hotel in the 1950s, according to the San Antonio House Registry.
Below are more photos of the celebration, Courtesy of Councilwoman Dr. Sukh Kaur, District 1.