A native of Nashville, Tennessee and an active suffragette, Ms. Johnson began and developed the free library system and built cooperation with the public schools. The public library building was constructed with a $100,000 grant from philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, and the cornerstone was laid on April 27, 1903. Officially opened to the public on September 19, 1904, the building was located at 8th Avenue North and Union Street. The Carnegie Library of Nashville was renamed the Nashville Public Library in 1934, being active at this location until 1963, when the new Metropolitan Government began construction on a new main library upon the site. The photograph shows the librarian’s office, with its décor, furnishings, and telephone.
