Library History

History of the Lake Mills Public Library

 

The first library in Lake Mills was housed in the Women’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) building.  It was Miss Susan Todd’s desire, who presided over the reading room of the WCTU, to establish an official library in Lake Mills.  In 1922 the Women’s Club of Lake Mills began discussing ways to make this need a reality.  Rooms for a library were secured in a rooming house.  The State Library of Iowa sent a woman to direct the work of cataloging the books.  Club women volunteered and took turns serving as librarians.  The library was open three days and three evenings each week.  Library memberships cost $1.00 at that time. 

In 1925 the City of Lake Mills pursued the creation of a new town hall.  The women agreed to support the measure if space for a library would be included in this new proposal.  The plan was adopted and the women were promised a large room and a smaller adjoining room for the library.  The Town Hall/Library building was erected on Main Street later that year.

In 1965, the members of the Library Board of Directors and the City Council felt the space provided for the library in City Hall was too small to meet the needs of its patrons.  A grant was written to the Kinney-Lindstrom Foundation of Mason City in April of 1965 to fund a new library building.  In August of that year, construction began on Lake Street.  It was completed in March of 1966 at a cost of $28,000.  The library officially opened on March 25^th in its new location. 

Twenty years later the community was, again, outgrowing the present-day library.  It was decided to add an addition south of the existing library.  A new roof was also added as well as updates to lighting, paint and carpeting. Once again, a grant was awarded by the Kinney Lindstrom Foundation with the stipulation that additional funds be raised in the community.  An open house spotlighting the new addition to the Lake Mills Public Library was held on November 20, 1985. 

The Lake Mills Public Library was, and still remains, a valuable asset to the community. We are dedicated to excellence in service as we strive to provide free and equal access to recreational material, children and adult programming, accessible information, and up-to-date technology through a wide variety of formats to all area residents.