Historical November–December 2014 article. Dates, prices, services and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
Following a complete renovation, the Charing Cross Branch, located at 356 North Skinker Blvd., has reopened!
The St. Louis Public Library will be hosting an Open House to reintroduce their “smallest branch in the STL Library system” to the public on Saturday, November 8 from 2-4 p.m.
The renovated Charing Cross features a host of physical improvements including a completely renovated interior, 25 percent more space, and public access Internet computer. Over the years, the Library has taken several forms in the Skinker-DeBaliviere neighborhood.
The Des Peres Branch opened in 1963 at 6003 Kingsbury.
It moved to the former grocery store at 5960 Kingsbury in 1970, but was extensively damaged by fire in 1981 and was forced to close.
A small, freestanding kiosk-style building called the Kingsbury Kiosk Branch was opened near the site of the fire-damaged facility.
The Kiosk closed in 1992, and a small storefront branch named Charing Cross was opened in the building at Skinker and McPherson. Rumor has it that members of the Library Board chose the name from the book and movie 84 Charing Cross Road.
In 1997, it was completely renovated and nearly doubled in size.
In 2011, property owner Washington University announced that the entire building housing the Branch was to be renovated, necessitating a move to a temporary location on Delmar. Now, it’s coming back home to Skinker. Thanks to its location on the western border of the city, Charing Cross sees many visitors from both the city and the county. And being in Washington University’s backyard, it provides students with an access point to the St. Louis Public Library’s extensive resources.
To keep the collection fresh at the smallest branch in the Library system, items rotate in and out on a daily basis. At any given time it has over 4,000 items of all varieties. Despite its diminutive size, it circulates about 27,000 items and sees roughly 19,000 visitors per year. That’s equivalent to about one patron every five minutes.
With an all-new space and new amenities, Charing Cross is wellequipped to serve the Skinker-DeBaliviere neighborhood for many years to come. Longtime librarian Charles Lampkin will be there to help readers of all ages. Charing Cross’s hours are: Monday: Closed; TuesdayFriday: 1-6 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m.- Noon/1-6 p.m.
The phone number is 726.2653.
Original photograph caption
After 1981 fire, library moved into kiosk on Des Peres.
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, November–December 2014.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times2014_11.pdf, printed page(s) 1; PDF page(s) 1.
