Library Look: Nassau Public Library

Usually, libraries are in the spotlight because they are impressively large structures that are historic in some way, or at least exceptional. The Nassau Public Library is impressive historically because of what it used to house: criminals.

From the web:

The Nassau Public Library and Museum, in Nassau, is the largest of five libraries in the Bahamas. Its building was once a colonial jail, dating back to 1797, when it became the first building in Parliament Square. "The building is said to have been inspired by the Old Powder Magazine in Williamsburg, Virginia." It was converted into a library in 1873. The small prison cells which once housed prisoners now contain old colonial documents, newspapers, books, charts, Arawak artifacts, and historic prints. "Since its conversion in 1837 from a hectic prison environment to that of a tranquil place of study, the library has seen an extensive increase in a variety of services, numerous technological advancements, vast expansion in study material, and many added special features all fully accessible to the general public."