The South Worcester Branch organized many great programs through the years, including storytelling contests, a women's fashion program (complete with two models showing off the styles!), film screenings for children and adults, story times, puppet shows, scavenger hunts, and more.
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circa 1977, photo from WPL's Worcester Room |
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circa 1976, photo from WPL's Worcester Room |
In the summer of 1978, Worcester's Office of Cultural Affairs sponsored the painting of a mural by staff and children under the direction of David Small of the Artists' Educational Workshop in the basement of the South Worcester Branch. It contained representations of 100 famous and storybook characters, including R2D2, Snoopy, Curious George, ghosts, tigers, a lion, and of course the characters of
Where the Wild Things Are. The basement space was renamed "Max's Room" in honor of Maurice Sendak's book and the branch had an official grand opening for Max's Room on April 18, 1979.
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circa 1978, photo from WPL's Worcester Room |
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"Sail Away with Max" promotional material for April 18, 1979 event |
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Program for Grand Opening of Max's Room at the South Worcester Branch, April 18, 1979 |
South Worcester Branch had the honor of being added to the list of the National Register of Historic Places in March 1980. By Spring 1981, there were seven Worcester Public Library branches (including the newly opened Great Brook Valley Branch), a bookmobile, and of course, the Main Library. Unfortunately, the library's Main South Branch on Main Street closed in May 1981 because the building was sold. While the library sought a new location for that branch, the South Worcester Branch and the bookmobile stepped in to fill the void. However, there were concerns later that year and the following year that budget cuts from Proposition 2 1/2 would lead to the loss of hours and staff at the South Worcester Branch and the other branches. Bookmobile service was eliminated in 1982 (but resumed a couple of years later in the form of two bookmobiles for youth and older adults) and there were proposals to reduce the number of days open at the South Worcester Branch to either two or three days per week. The end of 1983 was a better year for South Worcester Branch - they were able to open for 32 hours a week, Monday to Friday. The years progressed with library hours at various branches being put on the chopping block.
The End of the South Worcester Branch
The end of the South Worcester Branch came in 1990. After much back and forth about the budget, in April 1990 the library board realized that there were not enough funds in the upcoming budget to keep the branches and bookmobiles open and voted to close the branches in advance of the new fiscal year. In fact, the budget would decrease from $3.2 million in FY 1990 to $1.775 million in FY 1991. In addition to physically shutting the branches, Worcester Public Library would lose almost half of its staff and the Main Library would also have to further reduce its hours. Even though the community rallied to save their beloved libraries, there was nothing that could be done at the time.
On May 11, 1990, all of the library branches including the South Worcester Branch, shut down. The library did not even have the money to move most of the books out of the closed branches! Bookmobile service was also supposed to shut down due to the cuts but a supplemental budget allowed them to remain on the road for an extra year before being shut down again in 1991. The Great Brook Valley Branch reopened in July 1990 with a grant from the Worcester Housing Authority (see
Great Brook Valley Branch Celebrates 40 Years!. None of the other closed branches reopened except for the then-named Greendale Branch, which reopened in 1992 (see
On this Date in WPL History: October 26, 1994: Greendale Branch renamed Frances Perkins Branch Library.
The South Worcester Branch Library property was transferred from the Worcester Public Library to the city's Development Office in 2002 so that it could be sold. The property was sold in October 2002 to a real estate brokerage firm. The former South Worcester Branch building is now divided into two condominiums.
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"South Worcester Branch Library" circa 2019, Photo by Elizabeth B. Thomsen |
Sources:
"Be Square Always Club Sees Bear Story-Pictured." (1920, November 7). Worcester Telegram, p. 2.
Beaudoin, L. "Books in Branches are Collecting Dust." (1991, May 15). Worcester Telegram & Gazette, p. A3.
"Branch Libraries." (1910, September 20). Worcester Telegram, p. 5.
"Carnegie at Three Cornerstone Layings." (1913, March 27). Worcester Telegram, p. 16.
"Carnegie Invests Part of Fortune for Little Rubbers in Quinsigamond." (1913, March 27). Worcester Telegram, p. 16.
Collier, G.A. "Branch Libraries Near Last." (1990, May 9). Worcester Telegram & Gazette, p. A3.
Collier, G.A. "Sad Day: Libraries Close." (1990, May 12). Worcester Telegram & Gazette, p. A2.
Cowan, M.A. "Worcester's Oldest and Youngest Branch Libraries." (1961, April 17). Worcester Telegram, p. 6.
Dempsey, J. "City Sits on Unused Arsenal: Library Books." (1991, June 5). Worcester Telegram & Gazette, p. D1.
Duckette, R. "Library Board Votes to Close Branches." (1990, April 11). Worcester Telegram & Gazette, p. A3.
Duckette, R. "Library Outlook Worsens." (1990, May 2). Worcester Telegram & Gazette, p. A3.
Foisy, C. "Notes." (1978, July 30). Worcester Telegram, p. 2D.
"For Sub-Stations." (1907, December 1). Worcester Telegram, p. 12.
Hammel, L. "Library Branch Hours May Shift." (1982, October 22), Worcester Telegram, p. 2.
"Holy Cross Men Ask Home News." (1921, March 13). Worcester Telegram, p. 12 C.
Kotsopoulos, N. "South Branch Library Will Soon Go Up for Sale." (2002, February 2). Worcester Telegram & Gazette, p. B1.
"Library Budget Cuts to Hit Books." (1981, September 15). Worcester Telegram, p. 5.
"Library is Dedicated." (1914, February 25). Worcester Telegram, p. 7.
"Library Panel to Review Cut." (1981, October 13). Worcester Telegram, p. 3.
"Mayor Approves Library Contracts." (1913, February 1). Worcester Telegram, p. 3.
"Mr. Carnegie Is Guest of Worcester." (1913, March 26). Worcester Evening Gazette, p. 1.
"Mrs. Carnegie Also Coming to Dedication Tomorrow of Three Branch Libraries." (1913, March 25). Worcester Telegram, p. 1.
"Pint of Pineapple Juice Missing at Library. (1938, August 27). Worcester Telegram, p. 2.
"Public Library Stations." (1898, May 7). Worcester Telegram, p. 3.
"Railway Franchise is Granted by Aldermen." (1911, June 20). Worcester Telegram, p. 1.
Seymour, S. "The Story Behind the Stacks." (1985, January 27). Worcester Sunday Telegram, p. F3.
"South Worcester Branch Library is Smallest but a Haven for Children." (1914, May 24). Worcester Telegram, p. D3.
"South Worcester Library Branch Plans Open House." (1983, November 18). Worcester Telegram, p. 4.
"South Worcester Red Cross Auxiliary to Benefit from Whittall Estate Concert." (1918, August 9). Worcester Telegram, p. 6.