"THE ANOKA PUBLIC LIBRARY"

By: Mrs. I.A. Caswell

"History of Anoka County" copyright 1905

            The first attempt to establish a public library in Anoka was made in 1859.  Several gentlemen gave and

solicited money and books, collecting several hundred volumes and renting a room that was opened at stated periods

to allow residents of the town to borrow books.  Later, the rapidly growing little town needed this room for other 

purposes, and J.M. Woods, one of our pioneer photographers, permitted the library to be kept in his apartments.

There being no regular librarian, it was inevitable that the volumes should by degrees become scattered, and when

Mr. Woods' increasing business rendered it impossible for him to longer store the remaining books, they were, at

some time after 1870, given to the public schools.

            In 1880 a library association was formed with the purpose of endeavoring to establish a city library, but, owing to various discouragements, the attempt was a failure, and nothing more along that line was done until in 1892, as previously described in this volume, the ladies of the Philolectian Society took the matter in hand,  with the gratifying result that a one mill tax for the establishment and support of a public library was granted, and the city council appointed the following members of the library board: E.L. Reed, G.H. Wyman, A.E. Giddings,

E.D. Hammons, W.A. Greenwald, Mrs. W.P. Macomber, Mrs. A.G. Aldrich, Mrs. P.S. Rose, and Miss Mary D. Woodbury.

In organizing, the board elected Mr. Reed president, Mrs. Aldrich vice president, and Miss Woodbury, secretary

and treasurer.  The board rented the second story rooms in the Ticknor block, at the corner of Main street and 

Second avenue, appointed Mrs. Rose librarian and bought nearly one thousand volumes, which, in addition to many

presented by private individuals, made a total of about 1500 volumes, beside 1700 of Congressional records and public

documents contributed by Senator C.K. Davis.  The library was opened in 1894, and was eagerly patronized from its

beginning. The number of books issued monthly was at first about 800 a month, and the demand has steadily grown

larger, until in 1904 an average of 1600 a month was issued, 200 of these being history, biography, travels, etc.,

and the remainder fiction.  There were, exclusive of the public documents, about 3500 volumes in the library in 1904,

of which 1634 were fiction for adult readers, 518 juvenile fiction, 177 biography, 164 history, 146 travel, 159 reference, 

58 sociology, 87 bound periodicals, while the rest are theology, philosophy, poems, and unclassified books.

            In 1903 Mr. J.E. Douglas of Anoka, wrote to Mr. Andrew Carnegie, asking if he would give Anoka a public library

building.  Receiving a favorable answer, Mr. Douglas, who was a member of the library board, turned the correspondence

over to Mr. Warnes, its secretary, who was active in closing the negotiations on the subject.  Mr. Carnegie's only

condition to his generous gift was that the city should agree to supply $1250 per year for ten years for the support

of the library.  This was agreed to, and he assured the board that $12,500 would be sent in such installments as the

building expenses should require.  The site selected by the city council was the corner of Jackson street and 

Third avenue, and the board at once proceeded to the consideration of plans, selecting one furnished by R.D. Church,

architect, and employing Mr. Fransen, a St. Paul contractor.  The building was finished the first week in December, 1904.

It is a fine structure of gray Columbus brick, with trimmings of Bedford stone.  The portico, with its four handsome

pillars of stone, and tile flooring, faces the corner, with walks leading on each side to the streets.  The entrance leads

up the steps of Georgia marble to the circular space beneath the dome, which is surrounded by pillars and faced

by the librarian's desk.  On the north side is the children's reading room, with a handsome grate and mantel, and on the

north the general reading room, the stack room being in the southwest corner, behind the desk and the remainder

of the space on the main floor occupied by the librarian's room and toilet rooms.  The building is steam heated, and

furnished in red oak, with a cork floor covering.  The furniture is of red oak and golden oak of good design.  The

large room in the basement has a maple floor, and is lighted, like the rest of the building, with electricity, but was not

furnished at the time of the completion of the building.  It was expected that it might be often used by the Philolectian Society,

which has always retained its interest in the library.  The building was formally opened on the evening of Dec. 6, 1904.

The library board at this time was G.H. Goodrich, president, Mrs. I.A. Caswell, vice president, J.H. Niles, secretary and

treasurer, Dr. J.H. Frank, C.L. Johnson, W.H. Jordan, Mrs. L.J. Greenwald, Mrs. J.C.H. Engel, and Mrs. A.C. Frauman.

The librarian is Mrs. O.C. Bland. Those who have contributed money to the library, beside the Philolectian Society,

are E.L. Reed, who twice gave $100 for books, and the following gentlemen, who, on the solicitation of G.S. Pease,

gave as follows:  J.J. Hill, $200; W.D. Washburn, $50; C.A. Pillsbury, $25; J.S. Pillsbury, $25; Thos. Shevlin, $25;

J.B. Gilfillan, $25; S.D. Works, $25; F.H. Peavy, $25; and P.B. Winston, $25.