From the Duluth (MN)News Tribune, the fate of a former Carnegie Library is debated. Vandals set fire in a crawl space under the rear basement area in 1993, after which the library moved to another space.
A tour of the building Friday showed the library looking much as it did when it was last operated as a library. The symmetrical reading rooms on the north and south sides of the library are missing only the glass that separated them from the circulation area. A unique architectural feature is a balcony supported from above and below by shelves. Quarter-sawn oak trim throughout the building retains its luster.
The only evidence of the 1993 fire is the cutaway floor in the back basement where the current owner was considering creating a garage.
Looks like the building will either be razed or approved for renovation
I worked here !!
How said! This library was my hometown library where as a teen I was employeed as a Library Page. It’s sad for me to hear that the town is planning to tear it down for the inside of the building is really remarkable. With a huge center solid oak circlation desk on the first floor, beautifully oak paneled mirrored reading rooms on each side and an amazing steel supported two story book stack hovering over the first floor, I had always enivsioned this space would be a wonderful restaurant or gallery. It’s a shame that the town can’t come up with the funds to refurbish the building as a community treasure. But like most things in Superior, the community doesn’t seem realize its gems until it’s too late.
Helene Blowers
http://libtechbytes.blogspot.com/