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Nebraska Library Commission Website

Nebraska Public Library Founding Dates

(compiled from resources located in the Nebraska Library Commission Archives)

Towns highlighted in blue are Carnegie Buildings that are still serving as the Library.

Town Founding
Date		 Carnegie or other
Building constructed		 Sponsored or assisted
by Women's Club		 Notes
Adams       closed 2009
Ainsworth   1911 1911 History of Ainsworth Library
Albion 1900 1908   Carnegie Building, designed by John P. Eisentraut, library opened in 1908
Alexandria 1920      
Allen 1936      
Alliance 1909/1910 1912 1909 Carnegie Building
1909 - Nesbit; 1910 - Seavey
(Carnegie Building now serves as an Art Center)
Alma 1910 1911 1910 Carnegie Building
(Carnegie Building is privately owned)
Designed by the Chicago architectural firm of Patton & Miller
Anselmo     1926 Closed 2015
Ansley 1916   1917  
Arapahoe 1920      
Arcadia 1917 1917   Carnegie Building
Arcadia has one of the few surviving Carnegie Buildings
Arlington 1918      
Arnold 1913 1920 1920 The Arnold Township Library received a bequest of $17,500 from Mrs. Sarah A. Finch, to be used for a library building.
Arthur        
Ashland 1902/1904 1912   Carnegie Building
1902 -Nesbit; 1904 from the library
moved to new building in 2014
Atkinson 1922      
Auburn   1914 1914 founded Aug. 27, 1914 - from the library
Aurora 1908/1909 1911 1909 Carnegie Building
1908 - Nesbit; 1909 - Seavey
(Carnegie Building now serves as Faith Community Church)
North Platte Tribune
Avoca     1914 reopened 2016
Axtell 1925   1925  
Bancroft        
Bartlett       closed 
Bartley 1976      
Bassett     1930 Bookmobile service offered
Battle Creek 1939      
Bayard 1919   1919  
Beatrice 1873 1904 1881 Carnegie Building. Started by Clara Colby in 1873 and Women's Christian Temperance Union formed a library in 1881. Carnegie Building has been renovated for occupation in September 2012 by the Chamber of Commerce, Gage County Tourism and Gage Area Growth Enterprise. Beatrice Carnegie Building
Beaver City        
Beaver Crossing     1913  
Beemer     1925  
Belden     1924 (Cedar County), started as a combination school/public library. Closed.
Bellevue     1929 Started in 1929 by the Bellevue Junior Woman's Club (now Aokiya Woman's Club) with a gift of 12 books from the Dundee Woman's Club.
Belvidere     1926 (Thayer County). Closed
Benkelman 1937   1913 organized by Una Richards, in Dundy County
Bennington 1948      
Berwyn     1932 (Custer County), organized by local people. Closed.
Big Springs        
Bingham       Sponsored by the Sandhills Rural Mothers Club, a traveling library. Closed
Blair 1916 1916 1877 Carnegie Building. Known as the "Ladies Library Association" in 1877, Blair's first library of 300 volumes was housed in the E.C. Pierce Furniture Store, with Miss Carrie Wiseman as the first librarian. On October 6, 1916 the dedication of the new (Carnegie) library was held. (Carnegie Building destroyed by fire in 1973). New building in 2017.

Blair Library treasure rescued from recycling
Bloomfield 1908 1916 1906 Carnegie Building. Building now houses the Bloomfield Historical Society.
Bloomington 1918   no date started as a project of Women's Club. Closed
Blue Hill     1929  
Boelus     1925 (Howard County). Closed
Brady 2007     (Lincoln County)  opened July 2007
Bridgeport 1929 1922 1912  
Bristow     1936 (Boyd County). Closed
Broadwater   2013 1936 organized through the influence of local people, remodeed new building in 2013
Broken Bow 1910? 1916   Carnegie Building
(Carnegie Building now serves as a professional office building)
Bruning 1884      
Brunswick     1939 organized by a group of citizens.
officially closed December 11, 2019.
Burwell 1912 1914 1912 Carnegie Building
(Carnegie Building is now vacant)
Butte        
Byron   2015   Grand Opening of the Community Center and Library  opened June 13, 2015
Callaway 1931   1931  
Cambridge        
Campbell     no date Started by Women's Club, Room, heat and light paid for by town.
Carleton     1922 (Thayer County) - closed in 2007
Carroll 1906   1904  
Cedar Rapids 1914      
Center       closed
Central City 1882
1929  
  In 1929, the library changed to Hards Memorial Library, when a facility was built with funds donated in memory of Ebenezer Hards' name. In 1991, the Hards Memorial Library was demolished, and replaced with the existing facility.
Library History
Ceresco 1976      
Chadron 1918 1912   Carnegie Building,
See Page 11 of the Western Sun for a history.
Chappell 1920/1935   1920 1920 -Nesbit;
1935 Pollak
Chester     1920 (Thayer County) closed 2013
Clarks 1919 1919   Carnegie Building
Clarkson 1960     Clarkson Public Library History
Clay Center 1910 1917   Carnegie Building
Clearwater        
Cody     1936 (Cherry County), started by several enterprising ladies. Closed
College View SEE: Lincoln 1905? 1916   Carnegie Building
(Carnegie Building is now used as a Union College Building)
Columbus 1878 1915 1901 Carnegie Building
(Carnegie Building now serves as an office for insurance and law)
Bookmobile service offered
Cook 1936     Mrs. Floyd Chases assisted in organizing this library along with the Women's Club. Closed
Comstock 1925      
Cozad 1917/1923     Carnegie Building
1917 Nesbit; 1923 - Seavey
(Carnegie Building torn down sometime between 1991-1997)
Crab Orchard     1923 (Johnson County). Closed
Craig       closed
Crawford 1912      
Creighton 1913   1913  
Crete 1878 1915 1878 Carnegie Building. Founded by the Red Ribbon Temperance club. Carnegie Library demolished 2020. 
History of Crete Public Library
New Library Building January 2020.
Crofton 1927   1920  
Culbertson     1915  
Curtis        
Dakota City 1922/1928   1922 1922 - Nesbit;
1928 - Seavey
Dalton     1929 (Cheyenne County), Mrs. J. W. Hardin President of the Women's Club was responsible for starting this library
Dannebrog       Closed
Davenport 1921   1921  
David City 1891 1919   Carnegie Building
(Carnegie Building now serves as a private residence)
Banner-Press Article
Dawson        
Daykin        
Decatur     1936 (Burt County). Closed
Deshler 1951     2016 renamed Jennifer Reinke Public Library. From the Hebron Journal Register 7/24/20
DeWitt 1902/1907     Carnegie Building
1902 - Nesbit; 1907 - Seavey
(Carnegie Building collapsed in 1963)
Diller     1922 Closed.
Dodge     1930 The dedication date of the John Rogers Memorial Library in Dodge is June 26, 1955.
Dorchester     1914  
Dwight        
Edgar     1927 closed
Elgin 1931   1928 Library made possible through the efforts of members of the Presbyterian Church.
Elkhorn 1925   1936 Library made possible largely through the efforts of Mrs. Rudolph.  Became a branch of Omaha Public Libraries in 2007.
Bess Johnson Elkhorn Branch
Elm Creek     1931 Elm Creek building was a one-room school until 1955
Elmwood     1915  
Elwood 1918   1918 Rev. Sweeney organized this library
Emerson        
Eustis       Started by combining High School and Community Books.
Ewing        
Exeter 1936      
Fairbury 1900/1909 1909   Carnegie Building
1900 - Nesbit; 1909 founded in presented location, from the library
History of the Library
Fairfield   1914 1905 Carnegie Building. Original plans and construction started in 1903, doors opened
September 1909
Fairmont     1922  
Falls City 1902 1902    
Farnam 1943      
Franklin 1915 1915   Carnegie Building
(Carnegie Building now serves as an Art Gallery)
Fremont 1901 1903   Carnegie Building
(Carnegie Building torn down mid '70s)
Friend 1909 1909 1909 tax supported in 1915, first building given by Mr. Gilbert. Friend Sentinel Article.
Gilbert Public Library Through the Years.
Fullerton 1911 1914 1914 Carnegie Building. New building in 1968.
Geneva 1906 1912   Carnegie Building
Genoa 1902/1911     1902 - Nesbit:
1911 - Seavey
Gering 1910      
Gibbon 1910 1913 1910 Carnegie Building, started by a combined committee of the Women's Club and the Commercial Club
Carnegie Building torn down nearly 90 years after it was built to make way for the new library.
Giltner       Sponsored by the Giltner Music Study Club, building donated by the Masonic Lodge. Closed January 2022  Aurora News-Register
Glenvil        
Gordon 1922   1922  
Gothenburg 1915 1916 1916 Carnegie Building
Grand Island 1884 1905   Carnegie Building
(Carnegie Building now serves as a law office)
Bookmobile service offered
Grant 1922   1919  
Greeley     1937  
Greenwood 1976   1933 housed in Union Bank
Gresham     1909  
Gretna     no date started by a women's club
Guide Rock   1918 1918  
Haigler     1928 (Dundy County) Closed
Halsey     1928 (Thomas County Closed
Hardy     1924 Closed
Harrison        
Hartington 1914 1916 1914 Carnegie Building
(Carnegie Building now serves as an Art Gallery that is attached to the library)
Harvard 1916 1916   Carnegie Building
(Carnegie Building house the library and the city clerk's office)
Hastings 1888 1905   Carnegie Building
(Carnegie Building demolished in late 1960)
Bookmobile service offered
Havelock SEE:  Lincoln 1907 1907   Carnegie Building
(Carnegie Building  -Havelock location - demolished after 1971)
Hay Springs        
Hayes Center 1925      
Heartwell     1926 (Kearney County) Closed
Hebron   1922   In May 1922, Hebron dedicated a library which was built with the $13,000 bequest of L. O. Secrist, a former resident of Hebron.
Hemingford     1923  
Herman     1912 (Washington County) Closed
Hildreth 1975     Closed
Homer     1936 (Dakota County) Closed
Holdrege 1895 1907   Carnegie Building
Hooper 1913   1913  
Howells 1926   1911  
Hubbell     1927 (Thayer County) Closed
Humboldt 1884   1884 Began organizing 23 Feb 1884 and opened for business 16 May 1884
Humphrey        
Hyannis     1930  
Imperial 1931   1927 Started by the FWC - American Legion
Imperial Republican article
Indianola 1940     Legion gave the free use of a room, Legion Auxiliary fitted it for the use of library, Boy Scouts also assisted in collecting books.
Inman       closed
Jackson        
Jansen     1924 (Jefferson County) Closed
Johnson        
Kearney 1890 1905   Carnegie Building
(Carnegie Building demolished 1973)
Bookmobile service offered
Kimball 1919/1924     1919 - Nesbit:
1924 - Seavey
Laurel 1909   1909  
LaVista 1974     First library building was located at 8116 Park View Blvd. The new building constructed in 1999 is a joint library with Metro Community College.
Leigh 1921   1922  
Lewellen        
Lexington 1919 1919   Carnegie Building
(Carnegie Building now serves as a Law Office)
Lexington Clipper-Herald Story
Lincoln 1875 1902 - Main Library; 1909 NE Branch; 1910 - Havelock, College View and University Place Branches   officially incorporated as a city-owned, tax-supported institution in 1877.

Carnegie-assisted buildings in Lincoln total five:
Old Main - now Bennett Martin, (Old Main Carnegie Building demolished about 1960.) The former Northeast Branch Carnegie Library now houses Matt Talbot Kitchen & Outreach located on North 27th Street. Carnegie grants were also secured by the towns of Havelock, University Place and College View. When these towns were annexed by the city of Lincoln, their libraries became part of the Lincoln City Library system, bringing the number of Carnegie-assisted buildings in Lincoln to five.

Bookmobile service offered
Lindsay     1936 (Platte County) Closed
Lisco       closed
Litchfield     1929 organized inside the school
Lodgepole     1930  
Long Pine     1921 Closed
Louisville 1901/1917     1901 - Nesbit:1917 - Seavey
Loup City 1917 1917   Carnegie Building
(Carnegie Building now owned and occupied by a software company)
Lushton     1926 (York County) Closed
Lyman        
Lynch        
Lyons 1926   1926 Library started in 1926 according to  Edward McMonies, a long time Library Board member whose mother was one of the individuals promoting the concept and showing need for a library. The original board members of the Women's Club took turns as librarian. The first official librarian was hired January 1942 when the city passed ordinance #16 -from Mary Fritts, 2004.
Madison 1907/1910 1913 1907 Carnegie Building
1907 - Nesbit: 1910 - Seavey
(Carnegie Building now serves as Carnegie Learning Center as directed by the Madison County Historical Society)
Madrid     1929 (Perkins County) Mrs. F. A. Long was largely instrumental in leading the club women to organize a public library. Closed
Mason City        
Maxwell     1927 assisted by the American Legion Auxiliary  (Lincoln County). Closed
McCook 1902 1908   Carnegie Building
(Carnegie Building now serves as High Plains Historical Society Museum)
McCook Gazette Story
Mead 1941      
Meadow Grove  1952     Norfolk Daily News Article
Merna   1916    
Merriman 1927   1927 started by the PTA. Closed
Milford     1930 organized by a committee of citizens
Milligan        
Minatare     1930  
Minden 1907   1907  
Mitchell 1916      
Morrill   1917 1917 started by the Twentieth Century Club.
History of the Morrill Public LIbrary
Mullen 1930      
Naper   2012    
Nebraska City   1896   started by Joy Morton of Arbor Lodge. Library anniversary celebration continues with Cornutt program
Nehawka     1928 (Cass County)
Neligh 1904 1911   Carnegie Building
(Carnegie Building now serves as a community resource center)
Nelson 1896      
Newman Grove 1923   1923  
Niobrara 1971      
Nora     1935 (Nuckolls County) Closed
Norfolk   1908 1910   Carnegie Building
(Carnegie Building was purchased by a planning and engineering firm)
North Bend 1908/1910 1913 1908 Carnegie Building purchased in September 2012 by Jim Kruger. Dedicated on April 22, 1913.
1908 - Nesbit; 1910 - Seavey
New library opened 2012.
North Loup     1925 sponsored by the No Lo and Fortnightly Clubs
North Platte 1911 1913   Carnegie Building
(Carnegie Building now serves as a Children’s Museum) http://www.npchildrensmuseum.com/
O'Neill 1912 1913   Carnegie Building,
formerly Grattan Township Library
Oakdale 1929   1925  
Oakland 1914/1916   1920 1914 - Seavey:
1916 - Nesbit
Oconto        
Odell 2017      
Ogallala     1926 sponsored by the American Legion Auxiliary
Omaha 1877     History of Branches
Bess Johnson Elkhorn Branch
South Omaha Branch (Carnegie Building) torn down 1953
Bookmobile service offered
Orchard        
Ord 1922      
Orleans   1917   In 1918, Mr. J. M. Preston of Orleans gave money with which was erected a beautiful library in memory of his wife. Mr. Preston died in 1922, leaving an endowment of $20,000 to the Orleans Township Library.
Osceola 1906   1901  
Oshkosh 1921      
Osmond 1937      
Overton        
Oxford        
Palisade 1966      
Palmer        
Palmyra 1921   1911  
Papillion 1921   yes- no date  
Pawnee City 1904/1907   1904 Carnegie Building, designed by John P. Eisentraut
1904 - Nesbit; 1907 from the library
moved to new building in 2011
Paxton 1932      
Pender 1904   1904  
Petersburg        
Pierce 1908 1912 1907 Carnegie Building, sponsored by the WCTU Association
(Carnegie Building was moved from original location and is now vacant)
Pilger        
Plainview 1908/1917 1916 1908 Carnegie Building
1908 - Nesbit; 1917 Seavey
Grand opening for their new buidling was June 4, 2016.
Platte Center     1932 (Platte County) Closed
Plattsmouth 1886 1916   Carnegie Building
Freemont Tribute Story
Plymouth        
Polk 1913   1911 started by the Culture Club of Polk
Ponca 1910/1913 1913 1909 Carnegie Building
1910 - Nesbit; 1913 - Seavey
organized by business people
Potter     1921  
Primrose     1935 started by the Epworth League
Ralston 1922   1931 1922 (in a business)
1924 (by the city)
 
Randolph 1918 1917 1918 Carnegie Building, started by the citizens of Randolph
moved to new building in 2007
Ravenna 1918 1918 1918 Carnegie Building, started by interested citizens. Kearney Hub Story about new Library. Moved into a new building in July 2018.
Red Cloud   1918 1918  
Republican City     1924 (Harlan County), Organized through the efforts of Mrs. Oalcott. Closed
Rising City        
Royal       closed 2009
Rushville 1921     original building now a private house.
Ruskin     1927 closed 2011
St. Edward 1925 1925 1925 Started by the Delphians
St. Paul 1953      
Sargent   1928 1884 1919 In 1919, the Sargent Women's club were unsuccessful in obtaining a Carnegie grant. By 1928, the township of Sargent had enough tax levy library funds to start the library. The first library building was a converted house originally built in 1884.
Schuyler 1909 1911   Carnegie Building
(Carnegie Building is now vacant)
Schuyler Sun Story
Scotia 1925     Begun by the Scotia Women's Club. Renamed Scotia Public Library & Heritage Center in December 2015.
Scottsbluff 1917 1921   Carnegie Building
(Carnegie Building is now serving as the  Western Nebraska Art Center)
Scribner 1900/1902   1900 1900 - Nesbit; 1902 from the library. started with efforts of Charles Arnott and a committee
Seward 1890 1913   Carnegie Building
(Carnegie Building was sold 11/2003)
Shelby   1927  
Shelton 1907 1914   Carnegie Building
Shickley 1923   1923  
Shubert        
Sidney 1915/1917 1917   Carnegie Building
1915 - Seavey; 1917 Nesbit
(Carnegie Building now serves as the Cheyenne County Chamber of Commerce)
Bookmobile service offered
Silver Creek 1918     organized by Charles Wooster
Snyder 1936     started by the PTA
South Omaha SEE: Omaha 1904?     Carnegie Building - no year
(Carnegie Building - South Omaha Branch torn down)
South Sioux City        
Spalding 1911      
Spencer 1915/1916 1916/1917 1914 Carnegie Building, started by the B. K. Girls, an organization of young ladies
1915 - Seavey; 1916 - Nesbit
Springfield 1926   1929 May of 1928, the town board voted a mill levy for the maintenance of the Library
Springview        
Stanton 1915 1915   Carnegie Building, started by interested citizens
Stapleton 1939      
Stella        
Sterling 1904      
Strang       closed 2007
Stratton     1923 new building May 2021: https://www.mccookgazette.com/story/2888350.html
Stromsburg 1918 1916   Carnegie Building
(Carnegie Building is now privately owned no definite plans)
Stuart 1948   1922 Organized by the Lions Club,
1948 - Seavey
Superior 1884 1908   Carnegie Building
(Carnegie building now houses businesses)
Designed by the Chicago architectural firm of Patton & Miller. New building in 1996.
Sutherland        
Sutton 1907/1908 1910   Carnegie Building
1907 - Seavey; 1908 Nesbit
(Carnegie Building torn down in 1969)
Swanton     1888 (Saline County), Twelve charter members of the Ladies' Library Society led by Mrs.. Rubleman and Miss Mulitz started a library in 1888. Closed
Syracuse 1901/1907   1909 1901 Nesbit:
1907 -Seavey
Table Rock   1917 no date started by a Women's Club
Talmage 1904     closed 2017
Taylor 1962      
Tecumseh 1887 1907   Carnegie Building, designed by John P. Eisentraut
(Carnegie Building now serves as Eloise’s Fashion and Dollar Store)
Tekamah 1916 1915/1916   Carnegie Building, started by a group of citizens with a Lied Building Expansion.
Thedford        
Tilden 1922   1922  
Tobias     1928 Mrs. S. L. Muman with the aid of her Sunday School class started a library in the church basement. Closed 2016
Trenton 1923   1923  
Ulysses 1916   1915  
Unadilla       Otoe County Genealogy Society History of Uniadilla Public Library
University Place SEE: Lincoln 1916 1916   Carnegie Building
(University Place Carnegie Building now serves as an office for M.E. Group Inc. engineers and consultants)
Valentine     1921 Started by the P.E.O. Organization. Taken over by the city in November 1935
Bookmobile service offered
Valley   1902   yes - no date  
Valparaiso 1916   1917  
Verdigre 1952      
Verdon        
Wahoo 1923   1923 founded April 23, 1923, by the Wahoo Women's Club
Wahoo Public Library Celebrates 95 years.
Wakefield   1902 1902  
Wallace        
Walthill 1922/1935   1920 1922 Nesbit:
1935 Seavey
Waterloo 1973      
Wauneta 1960   1931  
Wausa 1935   1920 Started by the PTA in 1920;
1935 - Pollak
Waverly        
Wayne 1902 1913   Carnegie Building. Funded by volunteers and donations until 1910 when the city assumed
responsibility and appointed the first library board in April of that year. - from the library
(Carnegie Building now serves as a  church youth center)
Designed by the Chicago architectural firm of Patton & Miller
Weeping Water   1917    
West Point 1917 1916   Started by the Girls Culture Club
Western 1922   1922  
Wilber 1968      
Wilcox        
Wilsonville 1947   no date Started by a Women's Club
Winnebago        
Winside 1911   1911  
Wisner 1903   1903 Started by a Women's Club in July 1903. Prior to that date, The State Librarian's Supervision served the community
Wolbach 1925     closed 2015
Wood River   1906 1906  
Wymore1917 1919   Carnegie Building
York1894 1902 1885 city funding began 1894, building opened 1902.  Old library now houses CPA firm.
Former city library to be sold to occupying company
Yutan1966     April 11, 1966, from Thelma Anderson, librarian

Carnegie Libraries information taken from A State of Readers:  Nebraska's Carnegie Libraries by Pollak: "Nebraska received $720,000 for sixty-nine libraries built between 1901-1922. Fifty-eight are still standing, of which twenty-six are still libraries."

Nesbit, Marguerite, Nebraska and Carnegie Libraries (typescript, 1930)

Galbraith, Mrs. F. R. Supplemental History of Libraries Sponsored or assisted by Women's Clubs.
Ainsworth, NE State Chairman Library Service N.F.W.C. 1935-1937

Pollak, Oliver B.  A State of Readers: Nebraska's Carnegie Libraries. J. & L. Lee Publishers. 2005

Seavey, Charley - notes provided from research conducted at the Nebraska Library Commission

Carnegie Libraries in Nebraska photographs of Nebraska's Carnegie libraries