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Picture of library

STANWOOD PUBLIC LIBRARY

       The Stanwood Public Library was conceived by the Junior Women’s Club, now the Laetitian Club. Its first home was a corner of the school library. Before it found a permanent home, the library was lodged successively in the old Legion Building, in the Stanwood Herald Building where the post office now stands, and then the Memorial Building.

       The first Board of Trustees was elected December 16, 1949. They were Mrs. Max Coppess, Mrs. William C. Hansen, Mrs. Harry Klahn, Mrs. L. W. Meyer, Mrs. Robert Riley, Cecil Spear, Mrs. Roland Spear, Mrs. Melvin Thumma, and Kenneth Wilkins. Mrs. Klahn was elected librarian at this meeting, a position she still holds.

       The Board of Trustees in 1957 purchased the Clyde Jackson estate building on the corner of Broadway and Elm Street. With much volunteer labor the library was finally settled in May 1958.

       Back in 1955, when the library was still “itinerant,” the town council allotted to it a sum of $25. Year by year the council has increased its allotment until the library now receives $600 each year from the town. Since it takes considerable money to operate a library, many fund-raising projects have been used during the years to supplement the basic amount given by the council. The Laetitian Club, too, continues to budget an annual sum for the library and the Women’s Club lends its help.

       In July 1966, the library joined the Seven Rivers Library System. This is a cooperative plan, made up of about 40 small libraries. Each participating library must pay dues, based on the amount of its budget. The federal government pays the balance. This enables small libraries to purchase many more books than it could if it were entirely independent.

       The current Board of Trustees of the library: Mrs. Eugene Merfeld, President; Ruby Robson, vice-president; Mrs. W. D. Rhoads, treasurer; Mrs. Leone McCafferty, Mrs. Ray Bails and Mrs. Paul Cantrell.