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History of the Nicholson Memorial Library System
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The Nicholson Memorial Library System invites you to visit your Garland Public Libraries. From its modest beginnings in a former bank building, the Library has grown to a City Department with five modern buildings and more than 430,000 items in the collection.
Library service was established in the City of Garland as a result of an awesome tornado that dropped from the sky on May 9, 1927 and tore a path of destruction through the northwest corner of the city. The tornado claimed fourteen lives in Garland, including Mrs. Missouri Nicholson and her son the former mayor, S. E. Nicholson.
Seeking to provide a lasting memorial to his mother and brother, W. R. Nicholson of Longview, Texas, purchased a former bank building on the northeast corner of the Garland Square and donated it to the city in February, 1933. The building was remodeled and opened as a community center and library in December, 1933 under the terms of the gift.
The 1,200 square foot Library operated as a volunteer project and grew slowly. The Library acquired city-paid staff and shortly after World War II, it became a member of the Dallas County Library System. The Library was designated a department of the City of Garland in 1957, and funding for library services was increased. In 1965, the Library became independent of the Dallas County Library System and became fully-funded by the City of Garland.
In 1970, the Library moved to a 5,000 square foot remodeled space at 504 State Street; collections and services began to experience rapid growth. City voters approved a bond issue to add a 41,000 square foot, two-level addition (ground floor and lower level) to the facility and to construct the first two branch libraries.
The 6,000 square foot Ridgewood Branch Library (a former 1964 bank building) was opened in south Garland in 1974. The 5,000 square foot Walnut Creek Branch Library was opened in west Garland in 1975.
The Central Library – expanded by 21,000 square feet – was opened in 1976. New bonds were approved in 1984 to complete and furnish 20,000 square feet on the lower level space for the Central Library and to construct two additional branch libraries.
In 1989, the Central Library’s lower level was completed and opened to the public. The Central Library has a total of 59,475 square feet.
The 16,500 square foot North Garland Branch was opened in 1992 in a renovated store-front retail shopping center.
In 1997, the Walnut Creek Branch Library was renovated and expanded to 8,000 square feet.
In 1998, the Ridgewood Branch Library was renovated.
In 2001, a 36,935 square foot former Food Lion Grocery Store was totally renovated and opened to serve as the new South Garland Branch Library.
Today, the Nicholson Memorial Library System (NMLS) serves the residents of the City of Garland and surrounding areas. The library system provides access to a wide range of informational, educational, cultural and recreational material, programs and services.
The Nicholson Memorial Library System is the Major Resource Center, or headquarters, of the Northeast Texas Library System (NETLS). NETLS serves a 33-county area that includes 105 member libraries. The NETLS headquarters and offices have been housed in NMLS’ Central Library since 1983.
The NMLS includes a Main Library in the Central Business District of Garland and four branch libraries: North Garland, Ridgewood, Walnut Creek and South Garland. The Main Library has 59,475 square feet; the four branches have a total of 67,435 square feet for a combined library system total of 126,010 square feet.
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