City Library, Concord, New Hampshire

[LIB7637] The establishment of the Concord Public Library was authorized by a city ordinance passed in 1855. The library opened two years later on the second floor of the current Merrimack County Court House, and it moved twice more before opening at the current location in 1940.  For a detailed history of the library, please see Celebrating 150 Years of Service : Concord Public Library (1855 – 2005) by Virginia Babzcak

1956 Simmons Memorial Library, Kenosha, Wisconsin

[LIB7636] In 1899 Zalmon Simmons announced that he would offer to construct a library
building in Central Park if it will be named in honor of his late son, Gilbert.
Zalmon also paid for the building of the soldier’s monument that today stands
in Library Park.

In 1900 The Gilbert M. Simmons Library and the soldier’s monument were dedicated
on May 30th. Construction of the library cost $150,000 and a patron named
Cyril Kupfer checked out the first book in July. [Website]

Library, Quinnipiac College, Hamden, Connecticut

[LIB7635] The library is named for Arnold Bernhard, the founder and former chief executive officer of Value Line, Inc., the world's largest investment advisory service. Bernhard's son, A. Van H. Bernhard of Southport, made the library renovation project possible by donating $1 million for the library project and an additional $3 million for the University's endowment in 1997. The donation was the largest in University history. [Website]

1947 Public Library, Fair Haven, Vermont

[LIB7634] Original building still in use as a library. 

The Fair Haven Public Library, established in 1887, owes its existence to the suggestion and influence of Mr. Moses Coit, a non-resident greatly interested in the establishment of libraries. The persistent efforts of Hon. A.N. Adams, and the earnest advocacy of Prof. Walter E. Howard, who notwithstanding much opposition obtained an appropriation of $1,000 from the town for its establishment and support. Since then a sum averaging $600 has been voted annually. In 1894 a reading room supplied with periodicals through private yearly subscriptions was added to the library, increasing its influence. The interest of the readers continues to increase from year to year, over 700 more books having been drawn out in 1897 than in 1896. Librarian Elizabeth Perkins. [Board of Library Commissioners of Vermont, 1895-1896. Published 1896. Available through Google Books]

Public Library, Oskaloosa, Iowa

[LIB7633] The Oskaloosa Public Library opened its doors in 1903. The Oskaloosa Women's Club spearheaded the drive to create a public library for the community. The Carnegie Foundation donated $20,000 for the library's construction, and the library's first book collection came from the YMCA library (which had had a members-only library).

In 1997, an addition to the library building doubled its space. Many new patrons do not realize there was an addition because both the interior and exterior colors, woodwork and bricks match the original building's early 20th century look.  The library also features a centennial time capsule that was sealed in September 2003 and will not be opened until Sept. 14, 2103. [Website]

Mills Memorial Library, Rollins College, Winter Park, Florida

[LIB7614] The second dedicated library building on campus, Mills Memorial Library was built between 1949 and 1951.

Costing over $500,000, the building was almost 30,000 square feet and had a capacity for over 150,000 volumes. It featured a periodicals lounge, microfilm room, reserves reading room, large reference area, photo lab, and projection room.

The Mills building served as the Rollins library and Archives department until the early 80's, when the new Olin Library was constructed. [Website]