20TH Building Anniversary @ Downtown Library

On September 26, 1989, the library community celebrated the dedication of the new 48,000 square-foot Downtown Library building at 627 South Street. A year after moving from the Albert A.Wells Memorial Library (10,263 square feet), library usage had increased 60%.

“The opening day collection totaled more than 140,000 books,” said County Librarian Jos N. Holman. “The building now houses over 300,000 items, including books, videos, DVDs, CD-ROMs, audio books, CDs, magazines, newspapers, Spanish language materials and a genealogy/local history collection.”

“We also provide nearly 40 public computers to access TIPCAT, adult and youth Internet stations, multiple electronic resources, and educational software,” said Assistant County Librarian Amy Paget. “Thanks to a grant from the Greater Lafayette Community Foundation, a new all-access work station to assist people with vision and mobility challenges arrives later this year.”

"The Downtown Library is an invaluable asset,” said TCPL Board President Dinah McClure. “With the addition of two branches the building became an entire system that now welcomes nearly 800,000 annual visitors and circulates over 1.6 million items to residents throughout our county."

“This building was a tremendous addition to our community, and it’s a facility the community uses well,” said Holman. “Completing a feasibility study on the Don & Lois Stein Building (formerly the Walter L. Gray Building) is key to our library’s future.”

On the outside, the 1989 building looks much the same. On the inside, visitors enjoy the benefits of 21st century technologies and head home with a variety of professionally-selected library materials. Happy anniversary, Downtown Library! Looking forward to many more!