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The Pikesville Library, a Memorial to the men and women serving in the Armed Forces of
the United States, had its beginning October 26, l944, when a group of interested citizens
met in a public meeting to review a survey of various memorial proposals made by a special
committee.
The library was set up in temporary quarters in the Odd Fellows Building
at 1507 Reisterstown Road. It was
opened to the public on September 16, l946. By the end of 1949, the library contained
almost 9,000 books, of which 4,000 had been donated by the citizens of the
community.
A parcel of ground at the Confederate Veteran's Home on Reisterstown Road was set aside
by the State for a new library in 1945. In 1950, the Pikesville Health
Center was conducting a campaign for funds and planning for the erection of a Health Center
building. Brought together by the needs for a site and the possibility of economy in
building costs, it was decided that the two groups should combine to build one structure. Edward Hofstetter, Pikesville architect, donated his services in drawing the plans for the
building. The Library at 1111 Reisterstown Road was dedicated as a Memorial
on Sunday, November 11, l951.
The current Pikesville Memorial Library moved to still larger quarters and opened on
February 14, 1982. The library is located on the first level of the two-story Pikesville
Community Center. The building, which also houses a senior center and a health center, was
designed by Meyers and D'Aleo and constructed by Adam Zgorski, Incorporated. The library
contains 18,000 square feet. It was one of the first of two full service facilities in the
nation (both in Baltimore County) to be equipped completely with face-out display shelving
for easy selection of books. It opened with a stock of 65,000 books and recordings, 107
periodicals and newspapers. In the first month the library circulated 35,165 items.
Source: The Public Library Baltimore County Maryland 1951
Pikesville Memorial Library Brochure (4/82)
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