Library a fitting tribute to resident

And on Saturday, the library branch bearing her name held its grand opening festivities, complete with appearances by local politicians and public remarks by her son.

Cooper and her family moved into Midtown's The Garden District neighborhood — where the new library is located — in 1960, said her daughter, Judi Williams, who still lives in the home where she grew up.

"We grew up with such a sense of neighborhood," Williams said.

That included John B. Wright Elementary School, across the street from Cooper's home, where Williams remembers spending time at festivals and learning from wonderful teachers.

For several years, Cooper worked for the Tucson Unified School District in the homebound student program, ensuring that students who couldn't leave home were still learning.

She was never officially a teacher, but many children learned during their time with her, Williams said.

Former Wright Elementary Principal Lisa Langford worked with Cooper quite a bit during the 10 years that Langford was at the helm of the school.

"She was always thinking about the kids and trying to make things safe for the kids," Langford said. "We made the school a city park and planted trees, I can't tell you how many trees. Oodles and oodles of trees."

The project also entailed installing benches and soccer fields, Langford said.

"She was very good at putting people together and coordinating."

Anna Marie Patti, president of the neighborhood association that Cooper helped establish, considered Cooper one of her closest chums.

"Really what she wanted was a safe haven for the children," Patti said.

Their neighborhood has a lot of what Patti calls "working poor" whose children come home to empty houses after school. Cooper wanted those children to have somewhere to go where they were safe and not getting into trouble, Patti said.

Now that the library is open, "she'd be so delighted," Patti said. "She would probably have thought somebody else's name should have gone on it besides hers, because she was modest also."

The entryway to the new library features a tile portrait of Cooper, which branch manager Sharla Darby said she loves to see every day. "It's like she's here with us," she said.

The 7,000-square-foot, $2.6-million library has a collection of 20,000 items, with a focus on children and teens, though it also offers adult programs such as a book club and computer classes.

The Martha Cooper library is unusual in that it's one of the only libraries in the Tucson-Pima Public Library system that is located in the middle of a residential area, meaning it's easy to walk to, Darby said.

Matthew Landon, teen and adult services librarian, said when the branch opened in August, barefoot children would run inside to see it, though shoes are required.

Patti said she is happy to see 10 years of work and planning come to fruition.

"I know (Cooper) would be happy, because when I go to the library now, I see families up there. I see children up there. I hear children talking about how they never get to go someplace and just play on the computer, and they can do that now."

Central

What: Martha Cooper Branch Library.

Where: 1377 N. Catalina Ave. — north of Speedway, east of Columbus.

Hours: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. every Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays.

For more information: 791-3257