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A subscription library was established in Pensacola by the [[Pensacola Library Association]] in [[1885]].One hundred and eighty-four members paid twenty-five cents per month to use the library. In [[1911]], the [[Wikipedia:Carnegie Corporation of New York|Carnegie Corporation]] offered a $25,000 grant to establish a public library in Pensacola, if the city would commit a site and a promise of future support for the library. When the city failed to provide either location or support the grant was withdrawn. Later the city allotted fifty dollars per month to the library. A similar grant offer seems to have been made in 1916 but a bond election failed and funds were never secured.  In 1933, the subscription library closed and its books were stored in the San Carlos Hotel. In February of 1937, the Pensacola City Council passed an ordinance to establish a free public library and created a five member board to oversee the new establishment. Pensacola did not have a public library until January [[1938]], when it was opened through the work of [[Lucia Tryon]] in the [[old Christ Church]] building. The old church building reopened as the library on [[February 15]], 1938 with 3,352 books from the old subscription library and one hundred dollars' worth of new ones. By March of 1938, there were 2,375 card-holders.  In 1957, the Pensacola Public Library moved to a new building on the corner of Spring and Gregory streets. The City of Pensacola and Santa Rosa County entered into an agreement in 1963, for the library to serve 1800 patrons in Milton. This was the beginning of the West Florida Regional Library. With this new partnership, they began the Bookmobile service to residents. Pensacola City Council and Escambia County entered into a similar agreement and in December of 1964 Escambia County residents were eligible for membership to the library.