Pretlow Branch Library Moves to Temporary Location In Preparation for Construction of Norfolk Public Library's First Anchor Branch
Norfolk, VA (February 28, 2005) - After 82 years of service the Pretlow Branch Library will close on Tuesday, March 1 in preparation for construction of the new Anchor branch. Library employees will begin packing books and equipment to move to a temporary location one block away, 120 Balview Avenue. The temporary site will open on Friday, April 1.
City plans call for the demolition of the library's current building this summer. In its place the library will construct a 30,000 square foot state of the art library. The new Mary D. Pretlow Anchor Branch will open in April 2007. It will feature:
Building the new Mary D. Pretlow Anchor Branch Library is the first step in fulfilling the goals and objectives of a 1998 study. A second anchor branch is planned for the Broad Creek community, and we are beginning to look at the possibilities for a new main library downtown. Pretlow Branch Library opened in the second floor of an office building in 1923. It moved to its present location, 9640 Granby Street in 1961. Black and White photos of Pretlow Branch Library as it appeared in 1961 and the branch's history are available as well as renderings of the new Mary D. Pretlow Branch Library. For this information, contact Tia Freeman at 664-7338 or visit http://www.npl.lib.va.us/pretlow/pretlow_album.html.