Saint John Free Public Library

The Saint John Free Public Library is one of the oldest public libraries in Canada. The citizens of Saint John, New Brunswick asked their City Council for a free public library as early as 1875. They got their wish in 1883 and in 1904 a Carnegie library was built. The Special Collections Room is an authentic re-creation of a 19th century Victorian salon. The focus of the collections is on New Brunswickana, Canadiana, and local history material. An extensive collection of southern New Brunswick newspapers is available on microfilm, and a Computer Training Lab is available for public use.

History of The Carnegie Building

Dr. John Waterhouse Daniel, a British and American trained surgeon was Mayor of Saint John from 1900 to 1902. He was a forward thinking politician with one of the first automobiles in the city, parading in it to his residence at 148 Princess Street after defeating the incumbent Mayor Edward Sears.

The existing Public Library, of 14,000 books, had been using inadequate rented space since its start in 1883. It received $2,500 a year from the city but $600 of this went to the North End Portland Library. Mayor Daniel learned of Andrew Carnegie's generous endowment of libraries in the United States and Canada so he wrote to him personally at his Skibo Castle home in Ardgay, Scotland where he had retired after making a hugh fortune in American Steel. The Mayor explained the city's financial woes. Wooden shipbuilding was dying. The city depended on lumber exports and manufacturing, and had just spent three quarters of a million dollars on wharf expansion at the Port. It needed financial help to build a new library.

A response from Carnegie's Secretary saying that he would fund up to ten times the amount the city pledge in annual support, provided that the city found a suitable site, and guaranteed that City Council or a Library Association under its control, would maintain the library. Mayor Daniel persuaded City Council to accept the proposal. A site was found on Hazen Avenue and $50,000 would be the cost of the project. A design competition was announced in July 1902. Five entries came from American architects, eight from Canadians outside New Brunswick and four from l ocal architects. Ultimately the selection committee narrowed the field to two - G. Ernest Fairweather of Saint John and Copeland and Dole of New York. Both proposed neo-classical or Beaux-arts styles, but there was criticism of the New York proposal to use white limestone for the exterior in a city noted for its sooty chimneys. As well, one city newspaper campaigned for the local architect: "It is a common lament that our young men depart from our city to devote their abilities to building up the industrial and professional eminence of the United States. We must show them that we have faith in them by offering our encouragement for their design". So Fairweather's design was approved, contracts were signed. Construction was undertaken and the building was opened in November 1904. It is a much admired building. On the exterior are Roman columns with red sandstone and brick. The interior has an impressive rotunda well-lighted from the domed skylight above. The two-storied building is functional, with plenty of space for the book stacks and for committee rooms and galleries.

The Carnegie Building was one of over 2,500 library buildings given by Andrew Carnegie and today there are only about 40 of these buildings still in existence in North America. The Carnegie Building in Saint John is one of only 6 left in Canada.

By the late 1970s it had become clear that the building was no longer large enough to house the expanding collection , and the library would need to find a new home. The opportunity for a new library came during the early 1980"s when Saint John began an exciting period of tremendous development and celebration. The City formed a Saint John Bicentennial Commission to organize special events and provide legacies for not one, but three major anniversaries: the 200 anniversary of the arrival of Loyal Americans (Loyalists) to Saint John in 1983; the 200th birthday of the Province of New Brunswick in 1984, and the Bicentennial of the Incorporation of the City of Saint John by Royal Charter in 1985.

The building served the community as the Saint John Free Public Library until May 1983 when it moved to the new Market Square complex.

The Carnegie Foundation absolved itself of any further commitment to the building and the care of the building was turned over to the City of Saint John.

With a grant of approximately $1 million, Lady Violet Aitken, through the Canadian Beaverbrook Foundation provided the capital to renovate the Carnegie Building to create an arts and science exhibition centre. The new facility was opened as a legacy of the City's Bicentennial in May 1985 and named the Aitken Bicentennial Exhibition Centre (ABEC).

Restoration work on the ABEC was carefully planned to enhance its original architectural beauty. The magnificent rotunda-style foyer features the original colourful mosaic tile floor, an antricate stained glass skylight and beautiful carved oak woodwork.

References

* [http://www.gnb.ca/0003/regions/saint_john_main_branch.asp Saint John Free Public Library Information Page]
* Canadian Canegies Libraries [http://www.slis.ualberta.ca/cap03/wendy/saint-john.htm]
* History of The Carnegie Building [http://www.saintjohnartscentre.com/bldg.htm]