Clarion Public Library part of our local fabric for more than 100 years

It was in February 1907 that the Clarion City Council voted to raise $5,000 to help accept the offer by Morgan Everts and his wife’s gift of $10,000 toward erecting and maintaining a public library. While the family was residing in California at the time, they were formerly from Webster City. Mrs. G.T (Belle) Eldridge was its first librarian.

One year later, the new construction was open and ready for patrons. There were 1200 volumes ready for distribution. Only one book was allowed to be ‘drawn on’ at a time per library card, could be retained for fourteen days and could be renewed for that same time period, unless books were marked ‘seven-day-books’. Those could only be kept for that period of time and could not be renewed. A fine of 2 cents a day was imposed for each book not returned according to the rules of the library.

At times in the original days, the library was only open three days a week. In the early 1930’s, the library was kept open by a trust fund left by the Garth family. Few taxes were being paid, at that time, and the library budget was seriously cut.

For the full history of Clarion's library, see the December 3 edition of the Monitor.