For 60 years, the Murphy-Wilmot Library has been more than a building. It has been a community cornerstone, a place of learning, connection, and memories for generations of Tucson residents.

From its bustling opening day in 1965, when 1,000 visitors checked out 7,000 items, to today’s programs for children, seniors, and global visitors alike, the library continues to be a safe and vibrant hub of the community.

“It was really embraced by the community,” Branch Manager Kathy Konecny told Tucson Spotlight. “It even changed some city elections. (I think this needs to be explained somewhere.)  It was a big deal in Tucson.”

On Saturday, the library will celebrate its diamond anniversary with 1960s-themed arts, crafts, cartoons, a portable planetarium, guest speakers, music, and more.

The branch is internationally known, welcoming visitors from around the world, but it also holds a special place in many Tucsonans' hearts.

“As somebody who grew up on the east side and went to the Wilmot library as a kid, people fondly remember,” Konecny said. “We all the time have people come and talk about how [they] loved coming here as a child and continue to love coming here. To them, it’s not just a building, but a place of memories.”

The branch was designed by architect Nicholas Sakellar and received the Distinguished Accomplishment in Library Architecture Award from the American Institute of Architects and the American Library Association shortly after it opened.

The third library built in Tucson, it was originally planned to be just 4,100 square feet but ultimately expanded to occupy a 15,380-square-foot space. In 1982, Sakellar and his son remodeled the building, adding another 4,000 square feet for the public to enjoy. A second remodel further increased its footprint, and today it stands at about 24,000 square feet.

When designing the library, the architects made it clear they wanted to avoid the typical “institutional” look. Instead, they aimed for a cozy and inviting space that offered visitors a new kind of library experience, something uncommon at the time.

While the concept was unfamiliar to some, it was overwhelmingly well-received by the community.

Over the years, the library has experienced its share of struggles, including the COVID-19 pandemic. The branch was closed for two months in 2020, reopening in May with limited services.

With library staff working to help the community navigate the pandemic, they offered curbside services for months and even served as a food distribution site for the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona.

With staffing affected, much like in other industries, many services had to be paused, and some employees were reassigned to other branches to cover gaps.

These days, the branch has 14 permanent employees, including Konecny, who has been working there for more than 30 years.

She said the branch continues to serve as a place where people can find resources or information, or just escape the heat.

“It also just tends to be a safe place for people dealing with economic hardship,” Konecny said.

In addition to traditional services, the branch is one of the busiest AARP tax help centers in the country, helping older adults and anyone else file tax returns.

It also continues to be a welcoming place for local kids and teens.

“We have story time and Lego time, and Lego Club and Coding Club. Those are all ways to connect people, and, of course, learning opportunities for our community,” Konecny said.

Saturday’s event runs from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and kicks off with arts and crafts and the portable planetarium.

At 10:15 a.m., retired teacher and history enthusiast Yvonne Flores will guide attendees through a tour of the history of Tucson’s east side. Flores will discuss what it was like to attend the all-girls Saint Joseph’s Academy, now Villa Carondelet High School, and how she became Saint Joseph Hospital’s first unofficial patient.

From noon to 1:30 p.m., the library will host a screening of a family-friendly 1960s cartoon, and at 3:30 p.m., local band the Hardscrabble Road Trio will play some of their favorite tunes from the 1960s.

Regular library operations will not be impacted by the celebration.

“Libraries continue to be a source of information,” Konecny said. “Our goal is to provide access to and provide freedom to read. That might be through print resources, but it’s also through digital resources. We have one of the biggest computer labs in the library system, so that’s very popular.”

Ruby Maldonado is a Pima Community College student and Tucson Spotlight intern. Contact her at petalmoonshoppe@gmail.com.

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