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| Winter Park Public Library circa 1979 Click photo to see a larger image. |
In May 1975, Library Board president, Rachel Murrah, presented the idea of building an entirely new facility at another location. In September of 1976, the city purchased property at 460 East New England Avenue for a new library building. In July 1977, the Library recieved a grant for construction of a new building.
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| Groundbreaking for the new library 1977 Click photo to see a larger image. |
Sunday, December 4, 1977 was groundbreaking day for the Library. Pictured left-to-right are: President of the Winter Park Library Association, Rachel Murrah; Librarian, Charlotte Brunoehler; Winter Park Mayor, James Driver; and Architect, Guy Butler. The construction of the new Library took 14 months. In February 1979 the move was made to the new Library which had nearly twice the square footage of the Interlachen building and 65 parking places instead of 13. The formal dedication was held April 20, 1979, and in June the old building was sold to All Saints Church.
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| Director Wendy Robuck Breeden and Rep. Bill Nelson at Dedication Ceremony Click photo to see a larger image. |
Sadly, in October 1978, Charlotte Moughton Brunoehler died. She had overseen the growth of the library for 30 years. A reference room in the new library was established in Charlotte's memory.
Wendy Robuck Breeden became the director of the Library in 1978. She graduated from Florida State University with a Master's degree in Library Science. She began her career with the Library in 1976 as an assistant cataloger. Her first major task as new director was planning and supervising the move from the old building on Interlachen to the new building. During her nine years as the Library's director she faced many challenges, including long-range goals, objectives and plans for celebrating the Library's 1985 centennial. Wendy Robuck Breeden was also elected to the position of Secretary of the Florida Library Association in 1985. She is currently Director of the Lake County Library System.
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| Mrs. Mary Brownlee Wattles Click photo to see a larger image. |
Mrs. Wattles was recognized for her loyal support and service to the library at the dedication ceremony, April 20, 1979. Mary Brownlee Wattles came to Winter Park with her husband, Dr. Willard Wattles, in 1927. Dr. Wattles, a nationally recognized poet, taught English and journalism at Rollins College until his death in 1950. As a college professor's wife, Mrs. Wattles entertained often, enjoyed running her household, and worked in her garden. "But Willard encouraged me to move beyond our own lives. He asked me to get involved in civic affairs and to offer my services for the welfare of our town." said Mrs. Wattles in an interview for The Orlando Sentinel in April 1971. And serve she did, for over thiry years she served the library in many roles including President of the Library Association and board member, and worked tirelessly to raise money for the library's expansion. She even organized a door-to-door fundraising drive with the Jaycees to raise much needed funds for the library. Mary Brownlee Wattles died March 10, 1989.
The fundraising efforts of the Trustees and Friends of the Library, particularily Association President Rachel D. Murrah, were honored by The Florida Library Association. In 1979, Rachel received its Trustees and Friends Library Award for her efforts in bringing the project to fruition.
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| Kenneth and Rachel Murrah Click photo to see a larger image. |
Rachel Murrah, a resident of Winter Park since 1962, left a legacy of leadership and community involvement when she passed away June 23, 2000. That community involvement encompassed preservation, history and significant projects as well as the library. She served on the city's Planning and Zoning Commission from 1984 to 1989, served as City Commissioner since 1989 and was selected to serve as Vice Mayor of the city for three years. Rachel Murrah was always abreast of the issues and her contributions to the community were far reaching.
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| Library Director Robert G. Melanson Click photo to see a larger image. |
In July 1987, Robert G. Melanson became the 12th Director of the Winter Park Public Library. Mr. Melanson was born in Schenectady, New York. He received a Bachelor of Science in Business from Rider College, Lawrenceville, New Jersey; a Master's degree in Library Science from the State University of New York at Albany; and a Master's degree in Humanities from Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia. He worked in libraries in Virginia and Texas before coming to Winter Park.
Though the brand new building was serving the public very well, it became apparent that expansion was necessary. A 1.5 million dollar project to add a third floor and renovate the first two floors was begun in 1994.
Click here to go to the The Beginning.
Click here to go to The Early Years ~ The First Permanent Building
Click here to go to the Library Building 1995 ~ Third Floor Addition and Renovation
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