In 1929, a public library was established to serve the educational and recreational reading needs of the general population, except for people of color- -at that time generally called Negroes. To remedy this, in 1032, some books were donated and a room in the Masonic Temple became the Dunbar Library. It was totally inadequate in terms of resources, and staff and materials. However, it still served a need, particularly for students. The Dunbar Library was built on the corner of 9th and Randolph (now MLK) Streets, and served as a branch of the Tom Green County Library System. Even though it was never adequately equipped or resourced, it still became a center of learning, research, and pride for the neighborhood. The building was abandoned by the library system in 1972, but continued to maintain its presence and books; however, it slowly lost its identity. The library not only serves the needs of the African American community, but also the public school system and ASU students who want a comprehensive source of research material and literature for all ages focusing on Black History, research, literature, children's material, and audio visuals.