Postcard, "Albertson Public Library, Orlando, Fla., 'The City Beautiful'," 1938

Until the 20th century, most book collections were not available to everyday Americans. They were either privately owned, accessible only by paid subscription, or stored away haphazardly. Free public libraries began to spread in the early 1900s. For communities able to fund them, public library buildings -- usually among the most imposing structures in town -- became sources of civic pride.