Algur H. Meadows Art Library

Algur H. Meadows Library Public Opening
May 6, 2012

The El Paso Museum of Art opened the Algur H. Meadows Library to the public on Sunday, May 6, 2012 with a reception that was attended by over 90 people. Sean McGlynn, MCAD Director, Michael A. Tomor, Ph.D., EPMA Director, Dionne L. Mack, City of El Paso Library Director, and Adrian Morales, EPMA Librarian shared remarks at this historic event. The Museum received books and over $700 in cash donations to purchase books for the Library’s collection.

Algur H. Meadows Library

The Algur H. Meadows Library is dedicated to visual arts. Over 4,000 volumes and growing, the Library’s collection focuses on American, Mexican and European art which is cataloged using the Library of Congress Classification System. The Library is open to the public free of charge and offers wireless internet access, three computer stations and a printer in the computer lab. No library card is required.

The El Paso Museum of Art Library was named in honor of Algur Hurtle Meadows (April 24, 1899 – June 10, 1978). Mr. Meadows was an entrepreneur, art collector and benefactor of several institutions, including this Library.

Starting out as an accountant and later becoming a lawyer, Mr. Meadows created the General American Oil Company after several successful business ventures. It was during his time as president of the General American Oil Company that Mr. Meadows began collecting art.

During a business trip to Spain he visited the Prado and began acquiring works by the Spanish masters. He also collected French Impressionism, and Post-Impressionism, which he later donated to the Southern Methodist University, in Dallas, Texas, and established the Meadows Museum there.

The collection is non-circulating; however, requests for loans can be placed by the public at any of the El Paso Libraries. The Meadows Library participates in EPPL’s intra-library loan service, and will lend out books to EPPL branches, to be used in-house only.We can help you find a book in one of the El Paso Public Library branches, if we do not carry it. Please note that the El Paso Museum of Art Library does not carry magazines, periodicals, college and school textbooks.

Library Hours of Operation:
Tuesday through Saturday
9:00 pm - 5:00 pm.
Closed on Sunday - Monday, and major holidays

Address and Phone Number
One Arts Festival Plaza
El Paso, Texas 79901
(915) 532-1707
(915) 532-1010 Fax

Donating to the Library
The Library welcomes donations from the public; however, materials must meet our collection development criteria. A registry of books that may be purchased at the Museum Store for those wishing to donate to the Library’s collection has been created and can be found below or at the Museum Store. To make a financial contribution or to receive further information, please call (915) 532-1707.

For more information please contact
Sharon Jackson, Librarian at (915) 532-1707 ext. 34 or Jacksonsk@elpasotexas.gov

Visit the City of El Paso Public Library WEB page by clicking here

The Algur H. Meadows Library as an affiliate of the El Paso Public Library
and is made possible by a $133,000 grant
from the Federal Institute of Museum and Library Services.
Additional support was provided by the City of El Paso.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of
Federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums.
The Institute's mission is to create strong libraries and museums
that connect people to information and ideas.

The Library has created a registry of books that may be purchased at the Museum Store for those wishing to donate to the Library’s collection which is featured below:

Responsibilities include: interacting with the public (welcoming, orienting and informing visitors on library services; answering reference questions; making copies and scans upon request; helping classroom instructors find information as needed), and behind the scenes work (helping library coordinator with the cataloging process; shelving books; answering phone reference questions; assisting in processing book donations; and data entry).

At times, this position might require the volunteer to oversee basic library operations for short periods of time.

Schedule is flexible, although volunteer might be called in for special events or responsibilities throughout the week, Tuesdays- Saturdays, 9am-5pm.