Carpenter Branch Library

Built in 1927, the Carpenter Branch Library is the busiest library in the St. Louis Public Library system, and it is second only to the Central Library downtown in terms of circulation. Funded by Andrew Carnegie with land provided by George Carpenter, it was designed in the Renaissance Revival style by William T. Trueblood, who drew inspiration from the wide, rounded arches of the Loggia dei Lanzi in Florence, Italy. There is a one-way street in the front of the building, and parking is available behind the library, next to a butterfly garden. According to a local news story in 2006, George Kyle, a clerk who had worked at the library's circulation desk for nearly five decades while earning a modest salary and bringing the same brown-bag lunch from home each day, bequeathed $350,000 to the library after his death, with the wish that the funds be spent on books. The Carpenter Branch Library was highlighted on a "Best of St. Louis" list compiled by the Riverfront Times in 2014.

In the early 1920s, land for a new branch library in the Tower Grove South neighborhood was donated by George Carpenter, the president of the St. Louis Public Library Board. The project was financed by Andrew Carnegie, who funded six branch libraries in St. Louis, in addition to the Central Library downtown. In 2014, the Carpenter Branch Library was named on a "Best of St. Louis" list compiled by the Riverfront Times due to its collections, accessibility, programs, and special events. The library has wide wooden tables with reading lamps, a teen lounge reading nook with cushioned bench seating, and a whimsically-designed children's section. Outdoors, behind the building, the library maintains a butterfly garden that is both educational and beautiful, while benefitting butterflies, bees, birds, and other pollinators.

The library features a full roster of events, including an annual Crossword Tournament, as well as educational workshops, such as a 'Make Your Own Abacus' event in which each participant can complete a project while learning about famous mathematicians. Another workshop titled, “Daring Innovators: Women in St. Louis Politics,” provides participants with an opportunity to meet some of the city’s current female aldermen and learn about the work that they do each day at City Hall. In addition to encouraging academic and intellectual pursuits, the library also hosts events that focus on the mind-body connection, such as a sound healing workshop called “Meditations in Sound,” in which participants can learn about the practice of using “singing bowls” to relieve tension and induce calm.

Recurring events at the library include a Storytime for Children and a Teen Movie Night. Some events are accessible for children with hearing disabilities, such as specific Storytimes signed in American Sign Language (ASL), followed by crafts and social time. A mural in the children’s section depicts a flower garden with the words “A Child’s Garden of Wonder and Imagination," ideas that are encouraged through the library's programs. The St. Louis Astronomer’s Club meets at the library, providing indoor instruction on how to use telescopes and binoculars to study the night sky. Participants then have a chance to go outside to test their skills to see which stars, constellations, and planets they can identify.

According to a 2006 story in a local newspaper, George Kyle, a longtime clerk at who spent 46 years at the library's circulation desk and only made around $18,000 a year, bequeathed over $350,000 to the Carpenter Branch Library after his death. Kyle was described as a kind, unassuming, thoughtful man, who was also a creature of habit. He brought the same lunch from home each day: a sandwich and with two graham crackers that he separated into quarters before eating, along a thermos filled with milk. His wish was that the funds which he carefully saved throughout his life and donated to the library after his death be used for the purchase of new books.

"Best of St. Louis 2014," Riverfront Times. December 31st, 2014. Accessed March 9th, 2023. https://www.riverfronttimes.com/best-of/2014/people-and-places/best-public-library-2512745.

Carpenter Branch Library, Facebook. Accessed March 9th, 2023. https://www.facebook.com/pages/St-Louis-Public-Library-Carpenter-Branch/126994814038456.

Carpenter Branch Library, SLPL. Accessed March 9th, 2023. https://www.slpl.org/locations/11/.

Groth, Mark and Shannon. Carpenter Branch of the St. Louis Public Library, St. Louis City Talk. February 14th, 2016. Accessed March 9th, 2023. http://www.stlouiscitytalk.com/posts/2016/02/carpenter-branch-of-st-louis-public/.

"local_story_098135812", Joplin Globe. April 8th, 2006. Accessed March 9th, 2023. https://www.joplinglobe.com/news/local_news/local-story-098135812/article_af205cf8-c7f0-5a46-895e-823c40b70d6f.html.