The Denver Public Library has operated since 1857, originally opening a Central Library in 1910 in a Greek temple design funded by Andrew Carnegie. In the 1940s-1950s it opened a North Side location. Through the early 20th century the library saw rapid growth in its circulation numbers, reaching over 1.5 million books checked out annually by the late 1920s. The library provided training programs for its employees starting in the late 19th century.

1. HISTORY OF THE DENVER
PUBLIC LIBRARY CLERK
1857-Present

2. Library and State Capitol
1915-1920

3. North Side DPL
1940-1950

4. DPL HISTORY
⬜ In 1910, the City
opened a Central
Library…an
elegant Greek
temple design
funded by
philanthropist
Andrew Carnegie,
⬜ located in Civic
Center Park. It
served Denver for
45 years, until the
City
commissioned
the firm of Fisher
and
Fisher/Burnham

5. Delivery Room
1857-1967

6. Card Catalogue
and Bulletin Boards

7. CARD CATALOGUE

8. OLD MAIN CIRCULATION DESK

9. From: History of the Library 1860-1928
by Rene Reese, DPL Assistant Librarian
⬜ “The purpose of the
library is to maintain an
air of hospitality in all
its departments but the
circulation department
specially lends itself to
this feature.”(page 52)
⬜ In 1910, “Borrower’s
cards were issued
without guarantor to all
residents of Denver
whose names appeared
in the city or telephone
directory. The open
shelf system was
adopted…the number of
books issued to one

10. Circulation

11. CIRCULATION

12. CHECKOUT DESK

13. CHECKOUT

14. Circulation History
⬜ 1900 366,304
⬜ 1910 630,211
⬜ 1920 949,461
⬜ 1925 1,435,230
⬜ 1926 1,534,113
⬜ 1927 1,609,374

15. CHECKOUT DESK

17. TEA

18. info

19. EMPLOYEE TRAINING

20. TRAINING
⬜ In 1896 employees
were apprentices for
6-9 months, and
were put on the
payroll after that.
⬜ First regularly
organized training
class began May 11.
1911.
⬜ 1911-28 168 young
women were trained.
⬜ From History of the
Library, 1860-1928,
By Rene Reese.

21. WORKROOM