Old Main Library (Albuquerque, New Mexico)

The Albuquerque Public Library opened in 1901, operating out of a former school building called Perkins Hall which was donated to the city by Joshua and Sarah Raynolds. By the 1920s, the building was considered to be obsolete and a campaign to build a new library was spearheaded by a coalition of local women's groups called the Women's Library Association. One of the project leaders was the well known writer Erna Fergusson. In 1923, voters approved a bond issue for construction of the new library, and the City Commission put the project up for bid the following year. In accordance with the wishes of the WLA, the building was to be of a "typically southwestern" architectural style.^[5]

The new library was built on the site of Perkins Hall using salvaged brick from the old building. The Pueblo Revival style building was designed by Arthur Rossiter, with interior decorations by Santa Fe artist Gustave Baumann, and opened to the public on March 23, 1925.^[6] Further additions were made in 1947 and 1951. In 1975, a new Main Library was built in Downtown Albuquerque, and the old building was re-purposed to house the library's Special Collections, encompassing local history and genealogy research materials. The interior underwent restoration projects in 1978 and again in 2010–12, and the building was named a city historic landmark in 1979.^[7]

The Old Main Library is a one-story Pueblo Revival style building with battered, stuccoed walls, exposed vigas, and buttressed corners. The main facade features square corner towers and a curved parapet with a bell. The turquoise-painted, Prairie style windows are another notable feature. The original 1925 building has been partly obscured by later additions, though these were designed to harmonize with the existing architecture.^[8] The interior of the original portion of the library features a single large room with low partitions. Interior details include heavy wooden columns and beams, two corner fireplaces, and murals by Gustave Baumann.^[7][3]