The first Newport News Public Library, renamed West Avenue Library, now NNPLS Technical Services, in the Newport News Public Library System, was opened on October 14, 1929 at the corner of West Avenue and 30th Street in the City of Newport News, Virginia. This building was the first to be built in Newport News for the express purpose of being a library. In 2005, the West Avenue Library was placed onto the Virginia Landmarks Register and the National Register of Historic Places under its original name of Newport News Public Library. The building now known as West Avenue Library; however it is no longer a functioning library.
History
In January 1891 the Subscription Library Association, started by a group of young business professionals, created the first Newport News Library System. The books were housed at the offices of W. I. Fitzsimmons, at the corner of Washington Avenue and 27th Street. The subscription-fee-based library gained more solid financial ground in 1914 when the Library Association Board decided to charge a fee of fifty cents per year for all library users. Also in 1914 the Newport News Shipyard agreed to donate $20 per month to support the cause of literacy. In 1917 the City began to support the library with $10 per month. This was the beginning of a private-public partnership that remained until 1968.
On July 6, 1927 the Commonwealth of Virginia issued the charter of incorporation to a new library group calling for 21 board members who called themselves the Newport News Public Library, Inc., and within six months they had taken over all the assets of the old Newport News Library Association. A new library building to replace the inadequate structure on 26th Street where the library was temporarily housed was a primary goal. A building committee was formed and within two years the groundbreaking ceremony was held on February 12, 1929. The cornerstone for the new library was then laid on April 11, 1929 with a ceremony featuring Homer L. Ferguson, President of the Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, as the keynote speaker. Between the formation of the building committee and the groundbreaking ceremony the people of Newport News showed their approval by a 2,285 to 827 vote of approval for the issuance of $45,000 in bonds for the City Council to pay for it. The Library Board contributed $6,200 and a book collection valued at $30,000.00. The Old Dominion Land Company, the business which planned and built the infrastructure for the City of Newport News, donated land valued at $12,000. Newport News Public Library was officially opened on October 14, 1929. It was the first building in Newport News built for the purpose of being a library.
Over the years the Newport News Public Library Building has been maintained and upgraded. In 1946 the basement of the library was converted into a Children's Library. In 1954 the roof over the north reading room was replaced. On May 2, 1957 a new mural was added to the wall facing the entryway into the library building. The Mural depicted the landing of Captain Christopher Newport at Jamestown. The mural was painted by the artist Allen D. Jones, Jr. in commemoration of the Three Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary of the founding of Jamestown. Also in 1957 a new heating and air conditioning system and lights were installed and the rear stack area was remodeled. In 1968 there was a major change in the administration of the Newport News Public Library. In this year administration of the library was transferred from Newport News Public Library, Inc. to the City of Newport News. In 1986 and 1987 the building was rehabilitated.
Architect
The architect of the Newport News Public Library building, Charles M. Robinson was a very prominent Richmond, Virginia architect. Robinson was a well known designer of educational buildings and supervising architect of the Richmond Board of Public Instruction from 1910-1929. He designed the campuses of James Madison and Radford Universities in 1908 and 1913 respectively. Robinson created the master plan in 1925 for and designed many of the buildings for the College of William and Mary. Robinson was the architect for at least ten buildings, which are currently listed on the Virginia Landmarks Register and the National Register of Historic Places.
Desegregation of the Library
On May 9, 1949, W. Hale Thompson, a local African-American attorney, went before the Newport News City Council and proposed that the Newport News Public Library be opened to persons of all races. This request was rejected by the board of Newport News Public Library, Inc. but they opened an African American Library in a room in the Doris Miller Center, which was known as the Negro Recreation Building.