The first Library---located in the Public School      Library reopened in Methodist Church parsonage

 History of the Seward Community Library

 In 1919, the Seward’s Woman’s Club started the Seward Community Library by collecting books and asking the City Council for $1,500/year for maintenance costs.  There were many attempts to start a library prior to this time, but the Seward’s Woman’s Club was the first to succeed and continued to play a major role in the library’s development and expansion through the years. Seward’s first public library opened September 10, 1020 in the Public School building; the hours were every Friday from 2 to 4:30 pm.  On September 10th, there were 1,599 books on the shelves:  576 adult fiction, 582 juvenile, 160 reference, 20 poetry, 56 drama, 45 history, 26 travel, 53 philosophy and religion, and 150 miscellaneous.  By January 14, 1921, the number of books had increased to 1,715 and the average daily circulation was 68.  Seventy-nine of the 86 public school children were reading at least one book a week!

 There is no record of the public library again until 1929 when Rev. Reisner of the Methodist Church, shocked that Seward did not have a library, requested any books they were discarding from the Seattle Library to be sent to Seward; they sent 132 books. The Reisners discovered a number of old books in the church basement (from the first library?), donated a large portion to the school and kept those they felt would be used by the adult community.  Rev. Reisner built shelves in the parsonage and Mrs. Reisner acted as librarian but the patrons were mainly women so they decided to relocate the library downtown to attract male patrons.

 In 1930, the library was relocated to the Mount Building where Seward Leatherworks Shop was located (now the offices Edward Jones and the Electric department) and paid $10/month rent.  A community meeting was called at this time, the Library Board was formed with 200 members; the Library incorporated as a non-profit organization in November to receive U.S. Territory funding.  The Seward’s Woman’s club raised $150.00 for the Territorial matching revolving fund and continued to contribute $125.00 to the library.  In 1938, $500.00 was spent refurbishing an adjoining clubroom, but every available inch of space was still being used; there were over 10,000 books and five memorial shelves.

             
  Downtown location, the Mount Building            Bank of Seward---Library’s home 1939-1962

 The Library relocated to the basement of the Bank of Seward (First National Bank) in 1939 and occupied a space measuring 21’ X 31’.  In 1951, a children’s alcove section (9’ X 14’) was added to this space and continued grow.  October 1, 1957, in order to be eligible for assistance from the Federal grant-in-aid library project, the Seward Library became a “free public library”; prior to this, there was a charge for to have a library card. 

 As a result of the Library having again outgrown the space once again, the Seward’s Woman’s Club started a building fund for a new library in 1959.  The Library Building Project was launched in January of 1961 with the goal to increase the Library from 750 square feet to 2000 square feet and the work began.  In April 1962, the Seward Community Library Association purchased the building located at the corner of Adams and 5^th Ave. (the Co-op Grocery Store) and the Seward Community Library had its grand opening in August.

                    Old Co-op Grocery Store                                       Current Library with additions

 In 1966, the government approved matching Centennial funds for an addition to house an expanding cultural and arts center (the library had become a community gathering place) and the new children’s wing held its dedication ceremony on September 22, 1968. 

 The Seward Community Library has again outgrown its current locations; check out the “about” section to find out how this project began…