In the 1880s, Frederick Cossitt donated 75,000 for the construction of the first public library in Memphis. Although the city did not have the requisite funding to purchase books, locals worked together to fill the library to the brim with books and research materials and the building. Overlooking the bluff, the downtown Cossitt Library now welcomes tourists and locals alike to browse its collection. As a part of the $5 million grant toward “Reimagining the Civic Commons,” the Cossitt branch will be undergoing transformations throughout 2018.
