The Stuart Free Public Library was first organized in 1901 in the upstairs of the Ed Ryan building (this is now part of Ruppert Funeral Home) with donations of $100.00 and books solicited from townspeople.  The rent was $7.00 a month.

In 1907, the Board of Trustees sent an application to Mr. Andrew Carnegie for a new home for their books.  He offered $6000.00 toward a building if the city would purchase a suitable site and pass a bill for its support by municipal tax.  It was voted on by the citizens and the offer was accepted.  This is the building we are in today.  Mr. Carnegie's picture (which was purchased in 1921 for $50.00 plus $3.50 for putty and glass) is still in the library.

The new building was dedicated on Friday evening, April 3, 1908 at 8:00 PM.  There was a reception from 3-5 PM in the Library Building.

In the article published just after the dedication, the building is described as “a one-story structure of brick and stone and presents a very imposing appearance, with its broad stone steps and large windows and is situated on the corner of Front and Division streets, facing the railroad.  One enters the reading room, after passing through the vestibule, by a large glass door; the room occupies the entire floor, except one corner which is given up to a magazine room; through this one passes to get to the little lavatory.  Lining the walls of the reading room are low book cases and under the windows have been placed comfortable looking settees.  Between a front window and the entrance is a magazine rack for the new periodicals.  For the convenience of the little folks, one of the three long reading tables is a little lower than the others, and on the opening day was crowded with interested little people.  The librarian’s desk stands at the back of the room, directly facing the entrance and next to the magazine room.  Near it is the inside stairway to the basement.”

The magazine room is now the Director’s Office.  The lavatory room and the stairwell are still located in the same place as is the librarian’s (circulation) desk.  The Children’s Library has been moved to the basement.

To further quote from the article:  “If one goes downstairs, he finds himself first in a little Hallway (still there), from which are an outside door and a small storeroom.  (I cannot locate this outside door.  The brick on the outside of the building all looks original to me and there is no break in the decoration.)  At the end of the hall is the large room (now the Children’s Library) which has been given to the F.A.R. for a lode room.  The room is about two-thirds the size of the reading room and has an outside entrance also (that outside entrance is still intact).  Next to the stair-hall is another door which opens into a small room intended to be used as an office. The basement has wide high windows and is exceptionally bright and cheerful.

“The entire building is heated by steam from the electric light plant, thus doing away with the bothersome furnace and its attendant soot and dirt.  The rooms are lighted by electricity and the reading tables are furnished with electric student lamps. A number of new books, mainly bound periodicals, have been recently added and more are to be purchased soon by the Board of Trustees.”

The Board of Trustees elected in July of 1909 were:  C. A. Ostrander, P. L. Sever, Mary R. McCrae (Secretary and Treasurer), J. R. Smull, S. Monahan, W. J. Boatright (Vice President), J. R.Dosh (President), J. M. Ball.  The Librarian was  Katherine McMullen.  They recommended to the City Council a tax of 3 mills for maintenance of the library and 1 mill to be applied in payment for the lots.

BUILDING PLANS

May 1919, it was decided that a bigger library was needed so Mr. Carnegie was contacted for additional funds. In September 1922 word was received that no funds would be forthcoming from that source so the addition was not built.  (We have a copy of the proposed blueprint for this project.)

In July 1941, plans were being considered to add a fifteen foot addition to the north side of the building as a WPA project.  The bombing of Pearl Harbor in December, and our entrance into the war derailed this.  Repair work was done instead.  (We also have these blueprints.)

In 1993 blueprints were once again drawn up for adding on to the building.  This plan connected City Hall to the east with elevators and meeting rooms, thus making both buildings handicap accessible.  This never got off the ground because of cost.  These blueprints are also available.

SALARIES

Salaries are always rather interesting.  In July 1912, Miss Harriet Williams was receiving $18.00 a month.  In October 1912, Aleta Blankenship was hired as assistant librarian.  She received 50cents for each evening worked.  As of August 1913, the librarian now received $25.00, but she had to pay her assistant out of that!  July 1916 the librarian earned $35.00 a month and by September 1918 it was now $40.00 a month and she may sleep in the other library room if she desires! 

May 1920, the librarian gets $50.00, August 1924, $55.00, and July 1926 $60.00 a month.  A new librarian was hired in July 1939 at $55.00 a month and was raised to $60.00 in September 1940.  In September 1943 a new librarian was hired at $50.00 and in February 1944 a new librarian was hired at $55.00, raised to $60.00 in July 1944 and remained there until July 1950 when she got a $15.00 a month raise to$75.00. 

DISEASES

In September 1918 a motion was made in a Board meeting “that library rooms and a portion of books most used, be fumigated against contagious disease ‘Spanish flu’”.  It doesn’t tell how it was done, but I would find that most interesting.

November 1920, consideration was being given to the topic “How long a person who had been exposed to contagious diseases should be deprived of the use of the library”.  No definite action was taken.

In June 1931 a communication was received from the State Board of Health concerning care of books after the Scarlet Fever epidemic.

DEPRESSION ERA

September 1931 a motion was made and carried that the Librarian see about replacing the glass in a door recently broken by robbers.

January 1932 a communication was received from the Secretary of the State Library Association regarding warning the Librarians of robberies of libraries and librarians in various places.

September 1935, the Board was investigating what money might be due the library from closed banks.

1937 – WAPA workers were hired to help in the library.

Money seemed to get really tight around the library in 1937.  In June 1938 we had to start paying for telephone service - $1.25 a month.  In October 1942, the library was in the red for the first time I could find documented.  They had $20.18 on hand with $85.06 outstanding bills.  In November they had caught up and were in the black again.  Even though this is the first time I could find documentation, I bet it wasn’t the last!!!

SOME ‘THEN AND NOW’ COMPARISONS

It appears from the minutes in 1962-1963 and previous, that the Board members chose all the books.  The staff now does that using book lists ad input from patrons.

In 1962 $1,166.44 was received from the County.  We now receive around $13,000. 

A new MANUAL TYPEWRITER was purchased in 1914 for $40.00.  And another manual typewriter in 1962.  In 2000, we purchased two new computers.
A two-year subscription to Good Housekeeping was $3.50.

Oak tables and chairs we currently use were purchased in 1962.  The dial phone system went into operation April 1964.  Converted to natural gas in 1960.

SAY WHAT?

In November 1914 Miss Smull presented the matter of putting a toilet in the basement of the building – this was received favorably.  In September of 1917 a motion was made to make a water connection to the library and was completed in October.  How does this match up with the toilet in the basement in 1914?  What was previous water source or what was used?

SUMMER 1926

This must have been a really hot summer – in June the Council appropriated $212.86 of the library’s money to paving tax and attorney fees ($35.00).  In July, the Library Trustees sent a letter to the Council threatening to sue to get their money back.   So – the Council bills the Library $1,198.37 for lights, water and heat for the past five years.  They resolved this over the next few months.  Stuart Municipal Utilities still furnish our lights and water, and our heat is paid through the City.

VARIOUS TIDBITS

In 1910 the Librarian was given two weeks vacation – but was it paid?

In 1911, the book “Rest Harrow” by Maurice Hewlett now in the library and pronounced not suitable for public circulation, a motion prevailed that the said book be destroyed.

In April 1912 128 books cost 128.54.  Today the average book purchased by the library is $16.00.

Compiled May 2002

By Nadine Avey