Celebrating 130 Years Serving El Paso

In the fall of 1894, teacher, Mary Irene Stanton opened a reading room for her students in room 127 of the old Sheldon Hotel in downtown El Paso near where the Plaza hotel stands today. 

Stanton's reading collection consisted of approximately 600-800 volumes from her own personal collection.  The reading room became so popular that adults started requesting the privilege of reading Stanton's books.  These were the humble beginnings of the El Paso Public Library. 

That humble library eventually moved to City Hall but by 1904, partially through a grant from steel magnet Andrew Carnegie, the El Paso Public Library opened its first stand-alone library building at what is now Cleveland Square.  Cleveland Square has been the home of El Paso’s Main Library ever since. 

Beginning this September, The El Paso Public Library is celebrating its 130th Anniversary and is inviting all El Pasoans to join them.  To celebrate they will be hosting a series of open houses inviting everyone to rediscover their local branch library.  These open house events will feature free refreshments, free swag, tours and photo ops with Lea the library mascot and administrative staff.  The first in the series of open houses will be: 
 
Westside library branch, 125 Belvidere 
Wednesday, September 25th  
11 AM  
 
José Cisneros Cielo Vista branch 
Wednesday, October 9th 
11:30 AM 
 
Irving Schwartz branch 
Wednesday, October 25th 
3:30 PM 

Judge Marquez Branch, 610 N. Yarbrough 
November 14, 2024 
3:00 PM  
 
Chamizal Express library, 2119 Cypress Ave. 
November 26 
4 PM  
 
Dorris Van Doren branch, 551 E. Redd Rd. 
December 11, 2024  
11:00 AM  
 
Richard Burges branch, 9600 Dyer 
January 7, 2025 
11:00 AM  
 
Esperanza Acosta Moreno branch, 12480 Pebble Hills blvd. 
January 22, 2025 
4:00-6:00 PM 
 
Memorial Park branch, 3200 Copper  
February 12, 2025  
3:00-5:00 PM 
 
Clardy Fox branch, 5515 Robert Alva Ave.  
February 26, 2025 
11:00 PM  
  
Armijo branch, 620 E. 7th Ave. 
March 25, 2025 
4:30 PM  
 
Enrique Moreno Express Library, 7380 Alameda blvd. 
April 12, 2025 
10:30 AM 
 
Sergio Troncoso branch, 9321 Alameda Ave. 
May 13, 2025 
4:30 PM