Recently, during my parent's visit from Iowa City, I decided to use an old certificate won at a charity auction for a Behind-the-Scenes Tour of the Milwaukee Public Library in downtown Milwaukee - enjoy the rarely seen parts of this Milwaukee institution! See more info on the library at the Wikipedia Milwaukee Public Library entry. IMG_7218 The columns are marble up to about waist high and then another artificial material that is ground away to produce the marbled texture (at much less weight/cost) IMG_7217 The dome is very bright and pretty IMG_7221 An old photo during the construction of the library IMG_7222 A long hallway parallel to the main entrance IMG_7224 This is what the main reading room USED to look like - pretty nice IMG_7225 Here's the board room (not used today for board meetings since the board is very large) IMG_7226 Architectural renderings and various drawings of the furniture, stone carvings, etc IMG_7229 The "M" for Milwaukee is a theme throughout the building including this chair in the board room IMG_7231 A very old toilet adjoining the board room IMG_7233 IMG_7235 THIS is what the main reading room space looks like today - of course it's not the main reading room anymore, but in the 1960s it was boxed in and sadly looks nothing like it did in it's hayday IMG_7237 Are these Samples? Invoices? Sample Invoices? Who knows! IMG_7239 Old stuff in a library...good place to keep it! IMG_7241 There was a local sculptor who made these figurines at an affordable price for the masses, unfortunately they are now worth nothing since there are so many of these items, but here's a civil war era photographer IMG_7249 The History of Milwaukee is here IMG_7250 Another big M IMG_7251 At the top floor of the library I found the old card catalogs, this is also where a lion cub that was brought back from some Milwaukee Museum trip back in the early 1900s or so lived for some time and he can still be seen (stuffed of course) now in the Milwaukee Public Museum as the lion with a burn on his nose IMG_7254 I don't think the director sits here anymore IMG_7258 Here's another M from the card catalog IMG_7262 Nice stone columns IMG_7265 Believe it or not, the Milwaukee Public Library has their own printing press and printing shop where they produce the various summer reading and other materials IMG_7266 IMG_7267 Plenty of room for expansion of jobs I think... IMG_7269 Nice block set type for a 20 year anniversary momento printing IMG_7271 The really old printing press machine (not in use regularly) IMG_7272 IMG_7274 Think of all the space saved by computers with every size of font in one little file! IMG_7275 This is funny, and rather frightening - I'll return my books soon! IMG_7276 The Book Truck is the internal/staff publication within the Milwaukee Public Library system and there were some historic issues on display - this one from WWII IMG_7277 This is what the library looked like in 1878 when it was taken over by the City of Milwaukee from the Young Men's Association who had started it with various German and other works in 1847 A view from the 2nd from highest floor I think IMG_7279 IMG_7282 IMG_7283 This is where books that are too beaten up when they return are sorted for discard! Return to Features