Library Home Page > More Information
About the New Ella Mae Gratts Shamblee Branch
The new Ella Mae Shamblee Branch is part of the Evans and Rosedale Business and Cultural District revitalization project. Located in Fort Worth’s Near Southeast, this neighborhood has been a social and commercial center for the African-American community since the 1930s, and has long supported many of the city’s African-American entrepreneurs, artists, and social activists.
The new Ella Mae Shamblee Branch is one of the first buildings built in the area since the 1930s. Located at the intersection of Evans Avenue and Verbena Street, the 12,590 square foot, $3.7 million facility houses an expanded collection of books, media, periodicals, and online resources. It provides 26 computers for public use and special programming for children, teens, and adults. The new branch features an art gallery and a special Fort Worth African-America Heritage digital display. Adinkra symbols incorporated into the building’s furnishings and exteriors help us remember the community’s stories and values. A public art component, 35 City Blocks, by African-American artist and photographer Letitia Huckaby, combines historic and contemporary photographic images to celebrate the community’s rich culture.
The historic Tommy Tucker Building is incorporated into the library facilities to provide a place for community meetings and events. This building was originally the Our Mother of Mercy Catholic schoolhouse. Dozens of Fort Worth’s renowned residents attended the school, and it holds a special place in the hearts of many in the community. The Tommy Tucker Building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in August 2006.
The new library features:
- 12,590 square feet
- 26 public computers
- Free WiFi (wireless) Internet access
- Self-service check-out
- Community meeting room (seats 100) with catering kitchen
- Art gallery
- More than 14,000 new books, CDs, DVDs, and audio books
- African-American Heritage Collection
- Spanish-language Collection
- Coretta Scott King Award Book Collection
- Stained glass window by local artist Letitia Huckaby entitled 35 City Blocks, featuring an art-glass window with photographic images and a stone and tile floor mosaic
- Reading garden
- Living Legacy digital display focusing on the area's history
- Historic photography display featuring the Our Lady of Mercy and Tommy Tucker schoolhouse
Last updated 12 June 2008