Bluff City

Memphis, Tennessee — a land of barbecue, blues, Beale St. and Elvis has seen its share of ups and downs since the city first began in 1819. A city that was once divided in slavery became an integral piece of the civil rights movement and is now continuing to search for ways to bring the community together as one.

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A Staple Library in Need of Revival

Founded on April 12, 1893, the Cossitt Library has been a Memphis staple for over a century (Library History Collection). Since its opening, numerous changes and upgrades have been made to the iconic landmark including enhancing its appearance, adding attractions, and making the space more comfortable for its visitors by keeping its assets updated. The most recent renovation was originally scheduled for January of 2018 an expected to cost around $2.5 million, but after realizing the capacity of what needs to be fixed (roofing and heating and air to name a few), the project was reevaluated at a new cost of over $6 million (Souchek).

It took two years of desolation at the library before project leaders and contractors began the renovations. At the start of 2020, plans were put into action to include a new cafe, co-working spaces, recording studios, workshops, classes, and a courtyard (Souchek). Thanks to funds from Tourism Development Zone (TDZ), the City of Memphis, and various philanthropic dollars including the Knight Foundation, Kresge Foundation, JPB Foundation, and the Rockefeller Foundation, the library will be able to take on its new look (Memphis Business Journal).

Reimagining the Civic Commons

“Reimagining the Civic Commons” is a national initiative that works alongside community leaders to advance social, economic, and environmental goals through revitalized and connected public spaces. Their mission believes that through transforming these public places, they can connect people of all backgrounds, cultivate trust, and create more resilient communities. Memphis, one of 10 cities selected, has a unique history that is filled with diversity, resilience, and southern hospitality, and this project is one that hopes to bring out the best in that. WIth the purpose of civic engagement, environmental sustainability, socioeconomic mixing, and value creation, this multidimensional initiative is one that serves the whole person. Within civic engagement, projects hope to bring out the best of Memphis’s diversity by bringing them together in common places. Socioeconomic Mixing strives to create belonging for the population, no matter their background. By creating these spaces, there will be an opportunity for individuals to be a part of an inclusive community where everyone can come together to celebrate themselves and the city of Memphis. The goal of the next category, value creation, is to enhance the living situations for those that are in low income neighborhoods and give them a better lifestyle.

A Commitment to Sustainability

Environmental Sustainability, the last of the four sectors of the Reimagining the Civic Commons Initiative, increases access to nature and creates environmentally friendly places that are easily reached by walking, biking, or transit. A study by the American Psychological Association explains that being outside in nature is an effective way to improve mental health and sharpen cognition. One goal of creating accessible environmentally sustainable areas is that residents will have easy access to the Wolf River Harbor and kayak rentals, a large trail system expanding from Shelby County to West Arkansas, and car-free entry to the Mississippi River. Rushad Navatty, Managing Director of Urban Transformation at the Rocky Mountain Institute and author of “Redefining Infrastructure and Public Space”, defines civic infrastructure as a way “to boost our economy, support the well-being of people and strengthen our democracy, all at the same time.”

A New Image

With a renovation costing 6 million dollars (Souchek), Cossitt library will be entirely transformed. Project leaders said they remodeled the space to be more than a typical library but more like a space to bring people together. The new appearances and amenities of the building will attract all sorts of patrons from students to workers to eldery. As previously mentioned, changes to the building will include: a new roof, new heating and air system, a courtyard with seating space, and a cafe (Souchek) . The new amenities will include: a recording studio, performing venue,rooms for workshops, a performing venue, classes teaching all sorts of skills, and co-working spaces. Another addition of importance are the art pieces that will make up a mural, the mural will represent the 1960 sit-ins that desegregated the Memphis library system. A 13 ft sculpture of mockingbird rising from a book will be another piece of art forming part of the renovation. The pieces of art, the courtyard, the building’s new exterior, and the new amenities will make the library much more noticeable than it used to be (Steimer) .

Looking Forward

“Reimagining civic commons” along with the project leaders have put in a lot of effort to remodel Cossitt Library. They raised funds from various organizations and met with community leaders to see what were the needs and wants of the Memphis community (Souchek). Once the library opens, after being closed four years since January of 2018, It will become a center of activity in the Memphis community. The project leaders expect the library to turn from just a “library” where you go and check out books to a place that attracts a wide array of visitors due to all the amenities that it offers (Steimer). One example can be all the people that will attend music events in the library’s venue. Mr. Hallman, one of the project leaders, during a Q&A session with a college class mentioned that a performing venue will open in the library, giving the opportunity to local artists to perform while also generating the library $200,000 annually.

Resources

“First Look: $5M Cossitt Reno Moves Forward…”.” Bizjournals.com, https://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/news/2019/09/18/first-look-5m-cossitt-reno-moves-forward-with-cafe.html.

“Library History Collection.” Memphis Public Libraries, 17 Apr. 2020, https://www.memphislibrary.org/digmemphis/libraryhistory/.

Souchek, Author: Jalyn. “After Delays, Cossitt Library Renovations, in Downtown Memphis, Set to Begin.” Localmemphis.com, 6 Jan. 2020, https://www.localmemphis.com/article/news/after-delays-cossitt-library-renovations-in-downtown-memphis-set-to-begin/522-18f159db-2fd0-4b99-ad40-6c1313cefab6.

Weir, Kirsten. “Nurtured by Nature.” Monitor on Psychology, American Psychological Association, https://www.apa.org/monitor/2020/04/nurtured-nature.

“After Delays, Cossitt Library Renovations, in Downtown Memphis, Set to Begin.” Www.youtube.com, www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kb1Rj5Wslhc. Accessed 6 Nov. 2021.

‌Steimer, Jacob. “First Look: $5M Cossitt Reno Moves Forward with Cafe, Recording Studios, Meeting Space.” Bizjournals.com, 19 Sept. 2019, https://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/news/2019/09/18/first-look-5m-cossitt-reno-moves-forward-with-cafe.html.

To: Dr. Gavin Johnson

From: Samuel Boysen; Juan Pacheco; Evelyn Fernando

Date: November 5, 2021

RE: Reimagining Cosset Library

The following information will allow readers to learn more about the Cossitt Library and why it’s essential to the Memphis community and visitors. By the end of this document the audience will take action in visiting the building and also engage with the Memphis community.

Cossitt Library Backstory

The Cossitt Library was built as a gift by Businessman Frederick H. Cossitt for Memphis’s warm hospitality. The building started small, but after the years passed, the library needed more space, and as a result, various branches began to open. When the main building had its first renovation, it was old, and only a part of the library was demolished to construct a modern building. After the construction, the building was often criticized for being “ugly” because it used to be a castle. However, as society continued to advance, the library was not up to society’s standards, and as a result, the library began its current renovation. The renovation lasted for more than two years. However, the silver lining to this problem was that it gave the library managers the time to gather additional feedback from the community to provide a better result.

The Importance of the Library

This renovation will benefit the Memphis community and visitors because it will be accessible to everyone. The newly added attractions will allow visitors to communicate and engage with a diverse community and utilize the library’s services. They will also be able to open opportunities to build or continue a business and improve their skill set. In addition, Memphians will be a crucial factor in this renovation because they will be able to provide their knowledge and receive help, which will lead to new relationships and an active community. As a result, the Cossitt Library will be considered a great resource.

Heart of Memphis

Since the Cossitt Library is located in Downtown Memphis which is easier for visitors because they will have access to the attractions downtown like Beale street. People who live a bit farther from downtown will have a limited chance to visit the library as transportation is limited for some people. There are different types of transportation like the public bus or car services but not everyone is comfortable with these options.